Honduran-Style Chicken and Rice

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This comforting Honduran-style chicken and rice is a beloved one-pot family meal, featuring tender bone-in chicken simmered with aromatic sofrito, annatto-tinted rice, green olives, and capers. The dish delivers a savory, herbaceous flavor with bright notes from bell peppers, cilantro, and citrus, all cooked together until the rice absorbs every drop of flavorful broth.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 520 kcalCalories
• 18 gFat
• 5 gSaturated Fat
• 54 gCarbs
• 3 gFiber
• 4 gSugar
• 32 gProtein
• 720 mgSodium
• 650 mgPotassium
• 80 mgCalcium
• 4 mgIron
• 32 mgVitamin C
• 150 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the chicken and marinade

• 3 lbs bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin on
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

For the sofrito and rice

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp annatto seeds (or 1 tsp ground achiote)
• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup pitted green olives, halved
• 1 tbsp capers, drained
• 1 cup frozen green beans, thawed
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

Directions

1. Combine the chicken pieces with orange juice, lime juice, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper in a large bowl; toss to coat and let marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the annatto seeds and let them sizzle for about 30 seconds until the oil turns a deep reddish-orange, then remove and discard the seeds (or strain if using ground achiote, just swirling it into the oil).
3. Pat the chicken pieces dry and brown them in the annatto oil in batches, about 3 minutes per side, until golden. Transfer the browned chicken to a plate and set aside; pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pot.
4. Add the onion, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper to the pot and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until softened and lightly caramelized. Stir in the garlic and chopped tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes until the tomatoes break down into a thick, fragrant paste.
5. Add the rinsed rice to the pot and stir continuously for 1 to 2 minutes to toast the grains and coat them in the sofrito. Pour in the chicken broth, add the olives, capers, and salt, and stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
6. Nestle the browned chicken pieces (and any accumulated juices) into the rice, bring the liquid to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover tightly with a lid, and simmer for 25 minutes without lifting the lid.
7. Scatter the green beans over the rice, replace the cover, and continue to cook for 5 more minutes until the beans are tender and the rice has absorbed all the liquid. Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest, covered, for 10 minutes to allow the rice to finish steaming.
8. Fluff the rice gently with a fork, sprinkle generously with fresh cilantro, and taste for salt, adjusting if needed. Serve the chicken and rice directly from the pot, spooning the flavorful rice alongside each piece of chicken.
9. For an authentic Honduran touch, serve with a side of sliced avocado, a simple cabbage and tomato salad, and warm corn tortillas to scoop up the rice.
10. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; add a splash of broth when reheating to keep the rice moist and tender.

Cook’s Notes

• Bone-in, skin-on chicken is essential for the deepest flavor and richest rice; boneless breasts will cook faster but produce a less savory result.
• Toast the rice in the sofrito before adding liquid; this step gives each grain a slightly nutty flavor and helps prevent the finished dish from turning mushy.
• Resist the urge to lift the lid while the rice steams, as this releases the steam needed to cook the grains evenly and creates a perfectly tender texture.
• If annatto seeds are unavailable, substitute 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika plus a pinch of turmeric for a similar warm reddish color, though the flavor will be slightly different.
• For an even more traditional Honduran flavor, stir in a small diced carrot and a handful of frozen peas along with the green beans in the final 5 minutes of cooking.

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