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Arroz de Cabidela is not a dish for the faint hearted, yet it holds a deep place in Portuguese culinary heritage. Made with poultry or rabbit, rice, and fresh blood, it offers a flavour that is earthy, rich, and unlike anything else.
Served piping hot, it has a deep brown colour from the blood stirred in near the end of cooking. The aroma is savoury and comforting, while the taste carries a gentle acidity that cuts through its richness.
This is food that speaks of tradition and resourcefulness. It is as much about preserving old ways of cooking as it is about creating a meal that feels hearty, warming, and deeply rooted in its surroundings.
What Is Arroz de Cabidela?
Arroz de Cabidela is a Portuguese rice dish where meat is simmered in a well-seasoned broth before rice is added. Near the end, fresh blood mixed with vinegar is stirred in, giving it its distinctive flavour and dark colour.
Chicken is most common, but duck or rabbit may also be used. The blood is carefully handled to keep it smooth and to integrate evenly, creating a sauce like consistency rather than clots or streaks.
It is often served with simple sides such as crusty bread or green salad, letting the dish remain the focus. Its intensity makes it a memorable centrepiece for family gatherings and village celebrations.
Ingredients and Taste
The foundation of Arroz de Cabidela is tender meat, onions, garlic, and bay leaves, simmered together until the broth is rich and aromatic. White wine often adds depth, while olive oil provides a soft, rounded base.
Rice is added to the pot to absorb the broth, then the blood and vinegar mixture is stirred in. This last step changes the flavour entirely, adding tang to balance the earthiness of the meat and richness of the rice.
The taste is layered and satisfying. The vinegar keeps it from feeling heavy, the blood gives a depth almost like game, and the rice ties it all together. Every mouthful feels both bold and comforting.
A Taste of History
Arroz de Cabidela has its roots in rural Portugal, where nothing from a slaughtered animal went to waste. Using the blood in cooking was practical and symbolic of respect for the animal’s life.
The dish is especially associated with the Minho region in the north. There, it became a way to create a celebratory meal from simple resources, with each household having its own closely guarded recipe.
Over time, it spread across the country, finding its way into restaurants while keeping its rustic charm. Many modern diners still seek it out as a link to older traditions and a taste of authentic Portuguese cooking.
Today, Arroz de Cabidela is a reminder of Portugal’s ability to transform humble, even challenging, ingredients into something extraordinary. It is a dish that demands trust, rewards curiosity, and leaves a lasting impression on those who try it.
How to Make Arroz de Cabidela (Blood Rice)
Arroz de Cabidela is a centuries old Portuguese dish celebrated for its bold, earthy flavours and distinctive dark hue from poultry blood. Slow simmered chicken or rabbit enriches the rice with deep savoury notes. The blood is added at the final stage for a velvety finish, making timing and gentle stirring essential. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions
Ingredients
For the meat and broth
- 1.5 kg free range chicken (or rabbit), cut into serving pieces
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp paprika
- 125 ml white wine
- 1.5 litres water or light chicken stock
- 1½ tsp salt (adjust to taste)
For the rice
- 300 g long grain rice
- 125 ml fresh chicken blood, mixed with 2 tbsp vinegar (to prevent clotting)
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
For serving
- Crusty bread
- Lemon wedges (optional)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Sear the chicken
To begin, heat olive oil in a large, heavy based pot over medium heat. Sear the chicken pieces until lightly golden on all sides. This step builds flavour for the broth. Move to aromatics.
Step 2: Cook the aromatics
Add onions, garlic, and bay leaves to the pot. Cook until onions soften and turn translucent. Stir in paprika and peppercorns for a fragrant base. Proceed to deglazing.
Step 3: Deglaze with wine
Pour in the white wine, scraping the bottom to lift any caramelised bits. Simmer for 2–3 minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate. Transition to broth preparation.
Step 4: Add stock and simmer
Add water or stock and season with salt. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 40–45 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Move to rice preparation.
Step 5: Remove and reserve chicken
Lift the chicken from the broth and keep warm. Skim any excess fat from the broth surface. Measure the broth to ensure you have about 1 litre for the rice. Proceed to cooking the rice.
Step 6: Cook the rice in broth
Add the rice to the simmering broth. Stir once, then cover and cook over low heat until nearly tender, around 10–12 minutes. Transition to preparing the blood mixture.
Step 7: Prepare the blood mixture
In a separate bowl, whisk the fresh chicken blood with vinegar until smooth. This prevents clotting and ensures even colour when added to the rice. Proceed to the final cooking stage.
Step 8: Combine blood and rice
Reduce heat to the lowest setting. Slowly pour the blood mixture into the rice, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Cook gently for 3–4 minutes until the rice is fully cooked and the liquid thickens. Return chicken to the pot.
Step 9: Warm through and season
Allow chicken to warm in the rice mixture for a few minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Move to plating.
Final step: Serve
Serve Arroz de Cabidela hot with crusty bread to soak up the sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges if desired. Presentation tip: Use a wide shallow dish to showcase the rich, dark rice.
Variations and substitutions
- Replace chicken with rabbit for a more traditional rural flavour.
- If fresh blood is unavailable, use duck or pig blood from a trusted butcher.
- Swap white wine for dry Madeira wine for deeper richness.
- In some regions, a small amount of tomato is added to the base for sweetness.
Cooking Tips for Perfect Arroz de Cabidela
- Use fresh, high-quality blood and mix with vinegar immediately to prevent clotting.
- Keep the heat low after adding blood to avoid curdling.
- Adjust broth quantity so the rice is moist but not soupy.
- Cook in a heavy based pot for even heat distribution.
Portuguese Arroz de Cabidela (Blood Rice)
Ingredients
For the meat and broth
- 1.5 kg free range chicken or rabbit, cut into serving pieces
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium onions finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp paprika
- 125 ml white wine
- 1.5 litres water or light chicken stock
- 1½ tsp salt adjust to taste
For the rice
- 300 g long grain rice
- 125 ml fresh chicken blood mixed with 2 tbsp vinegar (to prevent clotting)
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
For serving
- Crusty bread
- Lemon wedges optional
Instructions
- To begin, heat olive oil in a large, heavy based pot over medium heat. Sear the chicken pieces until lightly golden on all sides. This step builds flavour for the broth. Move to aromatics.
- Add onions, garlic, and bay leaves to the pot. Cook until onions soften and turn translucent. Stir in paprika and peppercorns for a fragrant base. Proceed to deglazing.
- Pour in the white wine, scraping the bottom to lift any caramelised bits. Simmer for 2–3 minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate. Transition to broth preparation.
- Add water or stock and season with salt. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 40–45 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Move to rice preparation.
- Lift the chicken from the broth and keep warm. Skim any excess fat from the broth surface. Measure the broth to ensure you have about 1 litre for the rice. Proceed to cooking the rice.
- Add the rice to the simmering broth. Stir once, then cover and cook over low heat until nearly tender, around 10–12 minutes. Transition to preparing the blood mixture.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the fresh chicken blood with vinegar until smooth. This prevents clotting and ensures even colour when added to the rice. Proceed to the final cooking stage.
- Reduce heat to the lowest setting. Slowly pour the blood mixture into the rice, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Cook gently for 3–4 minutes until the rice is fully cooked and the liquid thickens. Return chicken to the pot.
- Allow chicken to warm in the rice mixture for a few minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Move to plating.
- Serve Arroz de Cabidela hot with crusty bread to soak up the sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges if desired. Presentation tip: Use a wide shallow dish to showcase the rich, dark rice.
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