Chapter 21
Chicken Adobo with Friends
Commissary ingredients arranged like a botanical still life
There are two things to know about this dish: First, the longer you let the chicken marinate, the better; and second, prison food is always better shared with friends. Serves: 3 Prep Time: 20-25 minutes Marinating Time: 2-4 hours Cook Time: 10 minutes Ingredients • 3 packages of Brushy Creek Premium Chunk White Chicken • 1 jar of El Pato Jalapeño Wheels • Spice Supreme Garlic Powder • Spice Supreme Italian Seasoning • 1½ Spice Supreme Bouillon Cubes, divided • 3½ applesauce containers of Minute White Rice • Keefe Kitchen Mayonnaise • 1 bag of The Whole Shabang potato chips • 1 jar of Miss Wu’s Szechuan pickled vegetables • Salt and pepper shakers Supplies • 2 Tupperware containers with lids • 4 plastic sporks • 1 empty applesauce container (to measure the rice) • 3 bowls 1.
Marinate the chicken. You’ll want the chicken to marinate for a minimum of two and up to four hours, so start your prep early. First, prepare the chicken. Open each bag, squeeze out all the liquid, then pour hot water from the spigot into the first bag until it’s about two-thirds full. Let it soak for about a minute, then squeeze out all the water. Empty the bag into your Tupperware. Repeat this process with the remaining two bags of chicken. Once all the chicken cubes are in the Tupperware, pour in the full jar of vinegar from the El Pato Jalapeño Wheels (just the vinegar—not the jalapeños). Add about a quarter-size amount each of pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning, plus one crushed bouillon cube.
A spork lowering mayo into rice — the commissary cook's gesture
Mix the chicken with the seasonings, stirring slowly so the pieces don’t break apart. Once everything is combined, put the lid on the Tupperware and give it three good shakes while still being gentle with the chicken. Place the container somewhere safe to marinate. This can be in your locker or a spare metal bed. Marinate the chicken as long as possible. 2. Cook the rice. About fifteen minutes before you’re ready to eat, prepare the rice. Use your applesauce containers to measure 3½ containers of rice into the second Tupperware. Add 2 small dollops of mayo, ½ bouillon cube, and 2 jalapeños. Bring the Tupperware to the hot water spigot and put in enough hot water to just cover the top of the rice.
A single bowl of perfectly cooked rice — the beauty of just enough
Important note: Do not fill the entire container with water, as that will make a soup; you are only putting in enough water so all of the rice is submerged. Mix everything together and pat the rice down so it’s flat and fully in the water. Place the container in the microwave uncovered for three minutes. Stir the rice and cook for an additional two minutes (five minutes total). Taste and check that the rice is fluffy and cooked. If there is any remaining water, put it into the microwave again for two minutes. Once the rice is cooked, add a bit of salt, stir, and taste. Less is always more when cooking in prison, so start with small amounts and increase as you go. 3.
Build your bowls. Divide the rice equally among the three bowls. Add Miss Wu’s pickled vegetables around the edges of the bowl. Place some Shabang chips on top of the rice, and finally put the chicken on top of the chips. Say your favorite mealtime prayer, and bon appétit! Make sure you have all the elements—rice, chips, veggies, and chicken—in each bite.