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Puerto Rican Chicken Paella with Sausage and Plantain Recipe

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4 from 8 reviews

This Puerto Rican Chicken Paella with Sausage and Plantain is a flavorful fusion dish featuring tender chicken thighs, savory longaniza sausage, pork, and sweet plantains cooked with bomba rice in a rich sofrito base. Enhanced with pigeon peas, achiote oil, and a subtle aroma from optional banana leaves, this one-pot meal offers a vibrant blend of Puerto Rican flavors in a traditional paella style.

Ingredients

Meats and Protein

  • 6 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)
  • 3 longaniza sausages
  • ½ lb pork (diced)
  • 1 can pigeon peas

Vegetables and Plantains

  • 1 ripe plantain (cut into long wedges)
  • 1 green plantain (shredded)
  • 1 onion (small diced)
  • 3 sweet peppers (small diced)
  • 2 roma tomatoes (shredded)

Rice and Grains

  • 2 cups bomba rice (or short/medium-grain rice)

Oils and Liquids

  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup achiote oil
  • 1 quart broth (chicken or vegetable, warm/hot)

Other Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp sofrito
  • 2 banana leaves (optional)
  • Garlic paste (amount not specified, approximately 1 tbsp)

Instructions

  1. Preparation: Rinse the rice thoroughly to remove excess starch. Dice the onion, sweet peppers, and garlic. Slice the ripe plantains into long wedges and shred the green plantain and plum tomatoes. Measure out your broth or water so it’s ready to use during cooking.
  2. Frying Plantains: Heat a paella pan over medium heat and add enough olive oil (about ½ cup) to create a pool for frying. Fry the ripe plantain wedges until golden but not fully cooked. Remove and set aside.
  3. Searing Meats: In the same pan, place chicken thighs skin side down and sear until browned. Flip the meats to quickly brown the other side without cooking through. Remove the meats and set aside.
  4. Cooking Sofrito Base: Add diced onions and sweet peppers to the pan and sauté until they are soft and tender, about 5 minutes.
  5. Adding Aromatics: Stir in garlic paste, 2 tablespoons of homemade sofrito, and shredded tomatoes. Cook the mixture a few minutes more until tender and flavors meld.
  6. Cooking Plantain and Peas: Add the shredded green plantain to the sofrito mix and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Then add the pigeon peas and sauté to infuse them with the sofrito flavor.
  7. Preparing the Rice: Add the rinsed bomba rice to the pan and spread evenly. Pour ¼ cup achiote oil over the rice and distribute it evenly to lightly fry the grains and add color.
  8. Adding Broth: Pour in warm or hot broth (about 1 quart) ensuring the liquid covers the rice adequately. Add more broth as needed during cooking to keep the rice moist.
  9. Simmering: Cook uncovered for a few minutes until the rice begins to absorb liquid and starts drying out slightly on the surface.
  10. Banana Leaves Covering: Optionally, cover the pan with banana leaves to impart a subtle, traditional Puerto Rican aroma and flavor. This step can be skipped.
  11. Finishing Cooking: Continue cooking until the rice is tender and fully cooked, and all flavors are well combined. Incorporate fried plantain wedges and seared meats back into the paella during the last few minutes to warm through.

Notes

  • Use bomba rice for authentic texture, but short or medium-grain rice can be substituted.
  • The banana leaves add traditional aroma but are optional.
  • Ensure broth is warm or hot when adding to rice to aid even cooking.
  • Do not fully cook meats or plantains when searing; they finish cooking in the rice mixture.
  • Sofrito is key to flavor; homemade is preferred but store-bought can be used as a substitute.
  • Adjust oil quantities if you want crispier fried plantains.

Find it online: https://marthatasty.com/puerto-rican-chicken-paella-with-sausage-and-plantain-recipe/