Puerto Rican Braised Chicken with Squash, Olives, and Achiote Rice Pilaf

Name: Puerto Rican Braised Chicken with Squash, Olives, and Achiote Rice Pilaf
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Puertorriqueña
Ingredients: 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs; 1 1/2 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp ground cumin; 2 tsp sweet paprika; 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 cup yellow onion; 1 cup green bell pepper; 5 cloves garlic; 1/2 cup fresh cilantro; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 cup tomato sauce; 3 cups chicken broth; 1/3 cup green olives stuffed with pimentos; 1 leaf bay leaf; 2 cups pumpkin or calabaza squash; 2 cups long-grain rice; 1 tsp ground annatto; 1 tbsp butter; 1/4 cup scallion; 1 tbsp lemon juice

An original Puerto Rican main dish featuring browned chicken thighs braised in a savory sofrito-tomato sauce with spices, tender squash, olives, and a fragrant achiote rice pilaf. Comforting, homey, and packed with Puerto Rican flavor.

25 minPrep

50 minCook

75 minTotal

4Servings

High Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

700 g boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut en trozos large)
8 g salt (divided)
2 g black pepper (divided)
2 g dried oregano
2 g ground cumin
4 g sweet paprika
45 ml olive oil (divided)
150 g yellow onion (chopped en cubitos)
120 g green bell pepper (chopped en cubitos)
15 g garlic (chopped)
20 g fresh cilantro (chopped, divided)
30 g tomato paste
240 ml tomato sauce
720 ml chicken broth (divided)
60 g green olives stuffed with pimentos (slices)
1 unit bay leaf
300 g pumpkin or calabaza squash (pelada and diced medium)
360 g long-grain rice (enjuagado and escurrido)
2 g ground annatto
15 g butter
20 g scallion (rebanado fino)
15 ml lemon juice

Nutrition facts

per serving

620 kcal

Calories

36 g

Protein

49 g

Carbs

29 g

Fat

4 g

Fiber

45 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
1. Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, the oregano, cumin, and 1 teaspoon sweet paprika. Mix well and let it rest for 10 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
2
2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a wide heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until nicely colored. Remove and set aside on a plate.
3
3. In the same pot, add the onion, green bell pepper, and garlic. Cook for 4 minutes over medium heat, stirring. Add half of the chopped cilantro and the tomato paste, and cook 1 minute more to deepen the flavor.
4
4. Stir in the tomato sauce, 2 cups of the chicken broth, olives, bay leaf, remaining 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Mix well.
5
5. Return the chicken to the pot along with any collected juices. When it reaches a gentle boil, reduce to medium-low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
6
6. Add the squash to the stew, stir gently, cover again, and cook 15 minutes more, until the chicken is tender and the squash is soft but not falling apart. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice.
7
7. While the stew cooks, make the rice. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the ground annatto and cook for 30 seconds.
8
8. Add the rice and scallion to the saucepan. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring so the grains are well coated with the fat and annatto.
9
9. Pour in the remaining 1 cup chicken broth and add 1 cup water, cover, and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, reduce to low heat and cook for 15 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat and let it rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
10
10. Serve the hot braised chicken over or alongside the achiote rice. Finish with the remaining cilantro on top.
11
11. If you prefer an oven finish to keep it warm before serving, place the covered pot in a preheated oven at 300°F (150°C) for up to 10 minutes.

Chef tips

For deeper flavor, brown the chicken well without moving it too much at first. If you want a thicker sauce, uncover the pot during the last 5 minutes of stew cooking. The squash should be tender but still hold its shape.

Substitutions

You can substitute the squash with diced sweet potato. If you do not have ground annatto, use an extra pinch of sweet paprika for color in the rice, though the flavor will be different. Cilantro can be replaced with parsley, but the profile will be less traditional.

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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