One-Pot Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice with Annatto

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-13 · Updated 2026-04-13

Tender chicken thighs simmered in a fragrant rice dish with sofrito, annatto oil, and citrus, finished with a bright cilantro garnish. This Puerto Rican-inspired one-pot recipe, ready in about 45 minutes, pairs Chicken thighs, Long-grain white rice, Chicken broth for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 600 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs Chicken thighs
• 1.5 cups Long-grain white rice
• 2.5 cups Chicken broth
• 1/2 cup Sofrito
• 1 tsp Annatto seeds
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 medium White onion
• 1/2 cup Green bell pepper
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 2 tbsp Cilantro
• 2 tbsp Orange juice
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper
• 1/4 cup Pickled red onions

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Pat chicken thighs dry and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
2. Step 2: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs skin-side down and cook 5 minutes until golden. Flip and cook 3 minutes more; remove and set aside.
3. Step 3: Add diced onion and bell pepper to pot; cook 3 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Step 4: Add sofrito, 1 teaspoon annatto, and 2 tablespoons orange juice; cook 2 minutes to blend flavors.
5. Step 5: Return chicken to pot, nestle into rice, and add 2.5 cups chicken broth. Bring to simmer, cover tightly, reduce heat to low, and cook 25 minutes.
6. Step 6: Remove chicken, fluff rice with fork, stir in 2 tablespoons cilantro, and return chicken. Rest 5 minutes before serving with pickled red onions.