Name: Dominican Flag Rice and Beans with Braised Chicken
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Dominican
Ingredients: 2 cups dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight, drained (or 2 cans, drained); 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced; 1 green bell pepper, finely diced; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 bay leaf, plus salt and pepper to taste; 2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed until water runs clear; 2 1/2 cups water; 1 tbsp olive oil; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tsp salt; 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 lbs); 2 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 1/2 tsp salt, plus 1/2 tsp black pepper; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 small onion, thinly sliced; 1 ripe tomato, chopped; 2 tbsp tomato paste dissolved in 1/2 cup chicken broth

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La Bandera Dominicana — literally the Dominican flag — gets its name from the trio of white rice, red stewed beans, and savory protein that mirrors the country's flag colors. Served daily across the island, this hearty plate is the soul of Dominican home cooking and comes together with pantry staples. The creamy beans, fluffy rice, and tender braised chicken are deeply comforting and irresistible when scooped together on the fork.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time70 mins

Total Time90 mins

Servings4

Yield4 servings

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

720 kcalCalories
28 gFat
7 gSaturated Fat
78 gCarbs
12 gFiber
6 gSugar
42 gProtein
920 mgSodium
1100 mgPotassium
130 mgCalcium
7 mgIron
25 mgVitamin C
120 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the Stewed Red Beans (Habichuelas Guisadas)

2 cups dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight, drained (or 2 cans, drained)
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
1 green bell pepper, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1 bay leaf, plus salt and pepper to taste

For the White Rice (Arroz Blanco)

2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed until water runs clear
2 1/2 cups water
1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt

For the Braised Chicken (Pollo Guisado)

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 lbs)
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp salt, plus 1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 ripe tomato, chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste dissolved in 1/2 cup chicken broth

Directions

Drain the soaked beans, place them in a large pot, cover with fresh water by 2 inches, and simmer covered for 50-60 minutes until fork-tender; reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
While the beans cook, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion, bell pepper, and garlic for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in oregano, cumin, and bay leaf, then scrape the mixture into the cooked beans along with the reserved liquid.
Season the beans with salt and pepper to taste, simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until thick and creamy, and mash a few beans against the pot wall to enrich the gravy.
For the rice, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a heavy pot over medium, sauté the garlic for 30 seconds, add the rinsed rice and stir to coat each grain for about 1 minute. Pour in 2 1/2 cups water and salt, bring to a boil, then cover tightly, reduce heat to low, and steam undisturbed for 18-20 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
Pat the chicken thighs dry and rub them all over with oregano, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high and brown the thighs skin-side down for 5 minutes until golden, then flip and sear 4 minutes more.
Reduce the heat to medium, add the sliced onion and chopped tomato around the chicken, and cook 3 minutes until the vegetables soften. Stir in the dissolved tomato paste and broth, bring to a simmer, cover, and braise for 25 minutes until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened.
Taste the beans and adjust seasoning with extra salt or a pinch of sugar if needed to balance the acidity. Fluff the rice one more time and slice the chicken from the bone if desired.
To serve, mound a generous scoop of white rice on one side of each plate, spoon the stewed red beans across the center, and place a braised chicken thigh on top. Spoon a little of the tomato-onion sauce over the chicken.
Garnish with sliced avocado, a wedge of lime, and a small side salad of sliced tomato and onion dressed with oil and vinegar, then serve immediately so diners can mix beans and rice together the traditional way.

Cook’s Notes

Soak the dried beans overnight with a pinch of baking soda to soften the skins and cut cooking time; or substitute two 15-oz cans of kidney beans and simmer just 20 minutes to thicken.
Reserve the bean cooking liquid — its starch is the secret to a velvety, gravy-like consistency in the finished stew.
Toast the rice grains in oil for a minute before adding water; this gives the finished rice a subtle nutty aroma and helps the grains stay separate.
Day-old rice and beans reheat beautifully; store them separately in the fridge and add a splash of water when warming so the rice steams back to fluffy.
For authentic island flavor, swap chicken for stewed beef (carne guisada) or crisped pork chops (chuletas fritas), but keep the rice-and-beans foundation exactly the same.

DinnerSavoureux