🇵🇦 Panamanian Cuisine

Arroz con Pollo Panameño

Panamanian Chicken Rice

Prep Time 20 min

Servings 6

Difficulty Medium

Calories 496 kcal

A vibrant one-pot dish of chicken and rice cooked with annatto, beer, and sofrito, studded with olives and capers — Panama's festive rice centerpiece.

Ingredients

1kg chicken pieces
3 cups long-grain rice
1 bottle beer
3 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp annatto paste
1 onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup green olives
2 tbsp capers
1 cup peas
1 tsp cumin
Salt, pepper
Cilantro for garnish

Instructions

1 Season chicken with salt, pepper, cumin. Brown in a large pot. Remove.
2 Sauté onion, garlic, bell pepper until soft. Add annatto paste and stir.
3 Add rice, stir to coat. Pour in beer and broth. Add olives and capers.
4 Nestle chicken pieces on top. Bring to a boil, cover tightly, reduce to low.
5 Cook 25 min without lifting lid. Add peas, cover 5 more min.
6 Fluff rice, garnish with cilantro. Serve family-style.

Did You Know?

In Panama, the quality of a cook is often judged by their arroz con pollo — a dry, separated grain rice with perfect chicken is the gold standard.