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Loading...Guacho is a hearty countryside rice soup from Panama featuring bone-in chicken simmered with yuca, green plantain, and the unmistakable herbal punch of fresh culantro (recao). It is comforting, deeply savory, and traditionally eaten as a one-pot lunch across the rural interior of the country.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Total Time60 mins
Servings6
Yield6 generous bowls
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 485 kcalCalories
- 15 gFat
- 4 gSaturated Fat
- 58 gCarbs
- 4 gFiber
- 5 gSugar
- 32 gProtein
- 780 mgSodium
- 920 mgPotassium
- 90 mgCalcium
- 4 mgIron
- 42 mgVitamin C
- 210 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the chicken broth
- 2 1/2 lb bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin on
- 9 cups cold water
- 1 small yellow onion, peeled and quartered
- 5 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 whole black peppercorn medley, 6 peppercorns
For the soup base
- 2 tbsp achiote-infused oil or olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1 small tomato, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
For finishing the guacho
- 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed
- 1 lb frozen or fresh yuca (cassava) chunks, thawed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 large green plantain, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
- 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh culantro (recao) leaves
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Fresh lime wedges and Panamanian-style hot sauce, for serving
Directions
- Build the broth: combine the chicken, water, quartered onion, smashed garlic, oregano, salt, and peppercorns in a large heavy pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming any foam that rises, then reduce to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 25 minutes until the chicken is tender and the broth is cloudy and flavorful.
- Lift the chicken onto a plate, let it cool slightly, then shred the meat from the bones, discarding the skin and bones. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, skimming excess fat from the surface.
- Heat the achiote oil in the same pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, tomato, minced garlic, and cumin; cook, stirring often, for 6 to 8 minutes until the vegetables are soft and the tomato has broken down into a thick, fragrant paste.
- Return the strained broth and shredded chicken to the pot. Add the yuca and green plantain; simmer uncovered for 12 minutes until the yuca is fork-tender and the plantain is starting to soften at the edges.
- Stir in the rinsed rice, making sure it is fully submerged. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 18 to 20 minutes until the rice is tender, the soup has thickened to a creamy porridge-like consistency, and the yuca is falling apart into strands.
- Off the heat, fold in the fresh culantro and cilantro, then taste and adjust salt. Cover and let the guacho rest for 5 minutes so the herbs infuse and the rice finishes absorbing.
- Ladle into deep bowls, squeeze fresh lime over each serving, and pass hot sauce at the table. Serve piping hot, ideally with crusty bollo or plain crackers on the side.
Cook’s Notes
- Culantro (recao) is non-negotiable for authentic guacho; cilantro alone produces a noticeably different, milder flavor that misses Panama's herbal signature.
- If you cannot find culantro, use 1 loosely packed tablespoon of dried culantro powder rehydrated in 2 tablespoons of hot broth before stirring it in.
- Yuca has a tough fibrous core; after simmering, you can pull out and discard any hard center strings, or purchase pre-peeled frozen yuca chunks which skip this step.
- Achiote (annatto) oil gives guacho its characteristic rusty-red hue and a subtle earthy note, but plain olive oil works if you cannot find annatto seeds.
- Guacho thickens as it sits because the rice keeps absorbing liquid; loosen leftovers with an extra cup of hot chicken broth when reheating.
