Honduran Chicken in Nance and Pasilla Chile Sauce with Red Bean Rice and Roasted Ripe Plantain

Name: Honduran Chicken in Nance and Pasilla Chile Sauce with Red Bean Rice and Roasted Ripe Plantain
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Hondureña
Ingredients: 1.5 lb boneless chicken thighs; 1 1/2 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 1 tsp ground annatto; 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 cup nance fruit; 10.5 oz ripe tomatoes; 1 cup white onion; 4 cloves garlic; 2 large dried pasilla chile; 1/2 tsp ground cumin; 1/2 tsp dried oregano; 1 1/2 cups chicken broth; 1 cup long-grain white rice; 1 cup cooked red beans; 1 cup red bell pepper; 1/4 cup fresh cilantro; 2 medium ripe plantains; 1 tbsp butter; 1 tbsp lime juice

An original Honduran-inspired dish featuring seared chicken in a sweet-savory nance, tomato, and pasilla chile sauce, served with red bean rice and roasted ripe plantain. It brings together classic Honduran flavors in a comforting homemade meal.

25 minPrep

45 minCook

70 minTotal

4Servings

Gluten-FreeHigh Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

700 g boneless chicken thighs (skinless)
8 g salt (divided)
2 g black pepper (freshly ground)
3 g ground annatto (for sazonar the chicken)
45 ml vegetable oil (divided)
180 g nance fruit (without semilla, fresh or descongelado)
300 g ripe tomatoes (en cuartos)
160 g white onion (mitad en trozos large, mitad chopped fina)
12 g garlic (divided)
10 g dried pasilla chile (without semillas)
1 g ground cumin
1 g dried oregano
360 ml chicken broth (divided)
200 g long-grain white rice (enjuagado)
240 g cooked red beans (1/2 cup de su caldo reservado)
120 g red bell pepper (chopped en cubitos)
12 g fresh cilantro (chopped)
450 g ripe plantains (pelados and partidos a lo largo)
14 g butter (derretida)
15 ml lime juice (fresh)

Nutrition facts

per serving

620 kcal

Calories

35 g

Protein

62 g

Carbs

24 g

Fat

7 g

Fiber

55 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

Dairy

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 220°C / 425°F. Season the chicken with 4 g (3/4 tsp) salt, black pepper, ground annatto, and 15 ml (1 tbsp) vegetable oil. Let it rest while you prepare the sauce and sides.
2
Place the ripe plantains on a baking tray, brush them with the melted butter, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Roast at 220°C / 425°F for 20 to 25 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden and caramelized.
3
For the sauce, heat a skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Roast the nance fruit, tomatoes, half of the onion cut in large pieces, 2 garlic cloves, and the dried pasilla chiles for 6 to 8 minutes, turning as needed so they char lightly without burning. Remove the chiles earlier if they toast too quickly.
4
Transfer the pasilla chiles to a bowl and cover them with 120 ml (1/2 cup) hot chicken broth for 10 minutes to soften.
5
Blend the roasted nance, tomatoes, roasted onion, roasted garlic, softened pasilla chiles with their soaking liquid, cumin, oregano, and lime juice until you get a thick, smooth sauce.
6
Heat 15 ml (1 tbsp) vegetable oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; it does not need to be fully cooked at this stage.
7
In the same skillet, add the remaining 15 ml (1 tbsp) vegetable oil and sauté the chopped onion, red bell pepper, and the remaining 2 minced garlic cloves for 3 minutes. Add the white rice and cook for 1 minute, stirring well.
8
Stir in the cooked red beans, their reserved 120 ml (1/2 cup) cooking liquid, 240 ml (1 cup) chicken broth, and 2 g (3/4 tsp) salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and cook for 18 to 20 minutes until the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and mix in half of the fresh cilantro.
9
Pour the nance sauce into the skillet where you seared the chicken and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits. Return the chicken to the skillet, cover partially, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce has slightly reduced.
10
Serve a portion of red bean rice topped with the chicken and plenty of sauce. Add the roasted ripe plantain on the side and finish with the remaining fresh cilantro.

Chef tips

If the nance is very tart, mash 1 or 2 tablespoons of the roasted plantain into the sauce to round out the flavor while keeping the Honduran profile. Sear the chicken well for deeper flavor in the sauce.

Substitutions

You can use bone-in chicken, adjusting the cooking time as needed. If fresh nance is unavailable, use thawed frozen nance. Pasilla chile can be replaced with guajillo for a slightly different but pleasant flavor. For a dairy-free version, replace the butter on the plantains with vegetable oil.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Ninja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
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Illustrative image
Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
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Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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