Unless you’re American, a keen diver or an archaeologist, there’s a good chance you’ve never heard of Belize! It’s a tiny Central American country nestled between Honduras and Guatemala. On land, you can explore ancient Mayan temples deep in the rainforest; underwater, you can dive along one of the world’s largest barrier reefs — the Belize Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The country is extraordinarily rich in biodiversity. Culinarily, however, it is more modest — but what it lacks in variety it makes up for with one defining dish that you’ll find everywhere: Rice and Beans.
Spicy Chicken with Rice and Red Beans – Belize Style
Belize Rice and Beans is the national dish of Belize — a small Central American country. This hearty plate of rice, red kidney beans, coconut milk and spiced chicken is eaten at lunch and dinner, everywhere you go, by everyone. You’ll find it in every restaurant and certainly in every roadside snack bar.
The dish has strong African roots — brought by enslaved Africans during the colonial period — and is also influenced by indigenous and Hispanic culinary traditions. It’s seasoned with local spices (coriander, oregano, cumin, cayenne) and typically served with a spiced tomato sauce called recado. It’s also an excellent source of protein and fibre.
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 500–600 g free-range chicken pieces
- 1 ripe tomato
- A little brown sugar
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 mild chillies, finely chopped
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- A small piece of fresh ginger
- Juice of ½ lime
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh coriander (cilantro)
- 125 ml (½ cup) water
- ½ tsp recado (see below)
For the recado (spiced tomato paste)
- 2 tbsp annatto seeds (or substitute: turmeric, saffron, or a mix of paprika and turmeric)
- 125 ml (½ cup) hot water
- 5 garlic cloves + ½ onion, dry-fried in a pan with a little oil until lightly charred
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1½ tsp black pepper
- 125 ml (½ cup) chilli powder (mild)
- 1 tbsp salt
- 60 ml (¼ cup) apple cider vinegar
- 250 ml (1 cup) fresh orange juice
For the coconut rice and red beans
- 500 g red kidney beans (tin, or dried soaked for 4–6 hours)
- 800 g long-grain rice
- 200 g coconut milk
- 200 ml water
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Make the recado
- Soak the annatto seeds in 125 ml hot water for 15 minutes, then drain, reserving the liquid.
- Blend the softened seeds with the charred garlic and onion, oregano, chilli, pepper, salt, cider vinegar and orange juice until smooth. This paste keeps for weeks in the fridge.
Marinate and cook the chicken
- Marinate the chicken pieces in lime juice, recado, salt, pepper, thyme, cumin and coriander for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pan. Add the brown sugar and stir until melted and starting to caramelise.
- Add the chicken pieces and brown on all sides. Add the tomato, chilli, onion, garlic, ginger and water. Cover and simmer for 25–30 minutes until cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
Cook the coconut rice and beans
- In a large saucepan, sauté the onion and garlic in oil until soft.
- Add the drained beans, coconut milk, water and thyme. Bring to the boil.
- Add the rice, stir well, and cover. Cook over low heat for 20 minutes until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is perfectly fluffy.
Serve the chicken over the coconut rice and beans, garnished with fresh coriander. ¡Buen provecho! 🇧🇿