Pat chicken thighs dry. In a large bowl combine minced garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, lime juice and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Rub marinade over chicken and let sit 20–30 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate up to 4 hours.

Sear

Heat a large heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sear chicken thighs skin-side down until golden brown, about 4–5 minutes per side. Remove and set aside. Reserve any browned bits in the pot.

Rice & Vegetables

Prepare sofrito

Lower heat to medium. Add diced onion and bell peppers to the pot with the reserved fat and cook 5–7 minutes until softened. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes. Add annatto oil (or diluted achiote), minced garlic (if any left), turmeric and stir to coat.

Toast rice

Add the uncooked rice to the pot and stir to coat in the oil and vegetables. Toast rice for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently so it does not brown too much.

Add liquids and simmer

Pour in chicken stock, add bay leaves, salt and pepper, and bring to a gentle simmer. Nestle the seared chicken thighs back into the pot, skin-side up, submerging them slightly in the liquid. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently for 25–30 minutes, or until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through (internal temp 165°F/74°C).

Finish rice

Remove the chicken thighs to a cutting board. Stir peas (if using) and sliced olives into the rice, fold in chopped cilantro, adjust seasoning to taste, and let the rice rest covered for 5 minutes.

Shredding & Finish

Shred chicken

Once cool enough to handle, remove skin and bones from each thigh and shred the meat with two forks. Return shredded chicken to the rice and gently fold to combine so the meat is evenly distributed.

Garnish and serve

Fluff rice with a fork, garnish with extra chopped cilantro and lime wedges. Keep covered until ready to plate.

House Salad

In a large bowl combine mixed greens, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber and red onion. Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper and toss with the salad just before serving.

Sweet Plantains (Maduros)

Prepare plantains

Peel ripe plantains by cutting off the ends and slicing through the skin lengthwise to remove it, then slice on the diagonal into 1/2-inch thick pieces.

Fry

Heat vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering (about 350°F/175°C). Fry plantain slices in batches, about 2–3 minutes per side, until deep golden and caramelized. Transfer to a paper towel-lined tray and season with 1/2 tsp salt.

Serve

Serve warm alongside arroz con pollo.