Puerto Rican Braised Chicken with Creamy Breadfruit and Sweet Corn Rice

Name: Puerto Rican Braised Chicken with Creamy Breadfruit and Sweet Corn Rice
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Puertorriqueña
Ingredients: 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs; 1 1/2 tsp all-purpose Puerto Rican seasoning; 1/2 tsp dried oregano; 1/2 tsp ground cumin; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1/2 cup Puerto Rican sofrito; 1/2 cup sweet peppers; 1 cup yellow onion; 4 cloves garlic; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1/4 cup green olives with pimento; 1 tbsp capers; 1 leaf bay leaf; 3 cups chicken broth; 1 cup tomato sauce; 1 cup medium-grain rice; 10.5 oz breadfruit; 3/4 cup sweet corn kernels; 1 cup coconut milk; 2 tbsp culantro leaves; 1 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 1 tbsp lemon juice

An original main dish inspired by Puerto Rican flavors: seasoned, browned chicken thighs braised in sofrito with olives, tomato, and sweet peppers, served over a creamy rice made with breadfruit and sweet corn for a comforting texture.

25 minPrep

55 minCook

80 minTotal

4Servings

Gluten-FreeDairy-FreeHigh Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

700 g boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut en trozos large)
8 g all-purpose Puerto Rican seasoning (for sazonar the chicken)
1 g dried oregano (divided)
1 g ground cumin (for the chicken)
30 ml olive oil (divided)
120 g Puerto Rican sofrito (casero or preparado)
60 g sweet peppers (chopped)
120 g yellow onion (chopped en cubitos)
12 g garlic (chopped)
30 g tomato paste
45 g green olives with pimento (sliced)
15 g capers (escurridas)
1 unit bay leaf
720 ml chicken broth (divided)
240 ml tomato sauce
190 g medium-grain rice (enjuagado)
300 g breadfruit (pelada and cut en cubitos small)
120 g sweet corn kernels (fresh or congelado)
240 ml coconut milk (without sugar)
8 g culantro leaves (chopped)
5 g salt (or to taste)
1 g black pepper (or to taste)
15 ml lemon juice (for terminar)

Nutrition facts

per serving

640 kcal

Calories

36 g

Protein

52 g

Carbs

31 g

Fat

5 g

Fiber

47 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

No declared allergens

Instructions

1
1. Season the chicken with the all-purpose seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of the dried oregano, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Mix well and let it rest for 15 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
2
2. In a wide pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes per side until lightly colored, without fully cooking it through. Remove and set aside.
3
3. In the same pot, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion, sweet peppers, and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes, then stir in the sofrito and cook 2 more minutes until fragrant.
4
4. Add the tomato paste, olives, capers, and bay leaf. Cook for 1 minute, then pour in 2 cups (480 ml) of the chicken broth and the tomato sauce. Return the chicken to the pot, cover partially, and cook over medium-low heat for 25 minutes, until tender and nicely braised.
5
5. While the chicken braises, make the rice. In another medium pot, heat the remaining 1 cup (240 ml) chicken broth together with the coconut milk over medium heat. When it begins to steam, add the rice, breadfruit, sweet corn, chopped culantro, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
6
6. Stir the rice once, reduce to low heat, cover, and cook for 18 to 20 minutes, until the rice and breadfruit are tender and the mixture is creamy. For an even creamier texture, lightly mash a few breadfruit cubes with a spoon at the end of cooking.
7
7. Taste the braised chicken and adjust with salt if needed. Add the lemon juice and cook 1 more minute to brighten the flavors. Remove the bay leaf.
8
8. Serve a generous layer of the creamy breadfruit and corn rice, then spoon the braised chicken and its sauce over the top. Serve hot.
9
9. If you want to hold the dish warm before serving, cover it and place it in the oven at 200 °F / 95 °C for up to 15 minutes.

Chef tips

Browning the chicken well at the beginning builds deep flavor in the sauce. For a looser rice, use slightly less coconut milk; for a creamier finish, let it rest covered for 5 minutes before serving.

Substitutions

You can substitute the breadfruit with cooked cassava in small cubes, though the texture will be less creamy. Culantro can be replaced with cilantro, and chicken thighs can be replaced with breast meat, reducing the cooking time slightly.

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
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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Illustrative image
Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8" Chef’s Knife
Chopping, slicing and cutting strips
- The knife I use most when cooking
- Chops, slices and cuts into strips
- Keep it sharp and hand-dry it
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