Costa Rican Chifrijo

Chifrijo is a modern Costa Rican dish born in the 1990s in San José, whose name combines “chicharrón” (fried pork) and “frijoles” (beans), its two star ingredients.

It quickly became one of the most emblematic dishes of Tico culture, a staple at bars and restaurants throughout the country.

Costa Rican Chifrijo

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• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings
• Category: Main Course
• Cuisine: Costa Rican

Print Recipe

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Ingredients

• 2 cups of cooked red beans, with their broth
• 2 cups of cooked rice
• 400 g of fried pork belly (chicharrón), in pieces (about 14 oz)
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 hot chili pepper, chopped (optional)
• Fresh cilantro, chopped, to taste
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 avocado, sliced (optional)
• Corn tortillas, fried into triangles, to taste
• Salt, to taste

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Preparation

1. Make the pico de gallo, mix the tomato, onion, hot chili, cilantro, and lime juice, seasoning with salt.
2. Heat the beans, heat the red beans with a bit of their broth.
3. Heat the rice, heat the cooked rice separately.
4. Assemble the bowl, in a deep bowl, place the beans with their broth first.
5. Add the rice, add a layer of rice over the beans.
6. Add the pork, distribute the pieces of chicharrón over the rice.
7. Top with pico de gallo, add the pico de gallo on top.
8. Garnish, border the bowl with fried tortilla triangles and add avocado slices.
9. Serve, serve right away, piping hot.

Tips for getting it right

• Keeping the beans’ broth when assembling the bowl is key to achieving chifrijo’s characteristic juiciness.
• The chicharrón should be very crisp to achieve the dish’s typical textural contrast.
• Fresh pico de gallo is what provides the acidity that balances the dish.
• Serving with fried tortillas or nachos is the traditional way to eat chifrijo, using them to scoop up each bite.

Traditional variations

• Some versions add Salsa Lizano on top for an extra touch of flavor.
• There are also variants made with chorizo instead of chicharrón.

How to serve

Chifrijo is served in a deep bowl or large cup, ideal for eating with a spoon, alongside fried tortillas or nachos.

It’s one of the most emblematic dishes of Costa Rican culture, very popular at bars and restaurants throughout the country.

Recommended sides

• Fried tortillas
• Nachos
• Salsa Lizano

Did you know?

Chifrijo was born in the 1990s at a bar in San José, when its creator improvised the dish with what he had available in the kitchen.

Its name combines the words “chicharrón” and “frijoles,” the two ingredients that give the dish its identity.