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    Dominican Pollo Guisado (Chicken Stew)

    Pollo Guisado, the beloved chicken dish that everybody from Latin Caribbean islands grew up on. Its dynamics and taste changes from Dominican to Puerto Rican to Cuban.

    This colorful, fall off the bone chicken is caramelized first and then braised in a beautiful sauce. Atop a bed of rice, this is ultimate bliss for many people! Try it, you will love the simplicity of this most flavorful and yum chicken stew.

    pollo guisado alongside a scoop of white rice on a blue plate

    What is pollo guisado?

    Pronounced as “poy-yo gweeSAH-doh”, it translates as chicken stew. It is braised low and slow until the chicken is tender in the most flavorful sauce or stew. It comes in variations, evolving from island to island, with the family recipes passing from generation to generation.

    The pollo guisado that first came into my life wasn’t Dominican, but Puerto Rican (which is coming to GypsyPlate in the near future… another reason to subscribe?). That has a bit more Latin ingredients and spices, so I decided to introduce this simple and easy Dominican version first. It has a beautiful sauce created by veggies and a few Latin spices, with the occasional tanginess of olives.

    Ingredients

    ingredients for pollo guisado arranged on a white background
    • Chicken – Any stew is best with bone in chicken parts. We used thighs and drumsticks, with skin removed.
    • Onion – Yellow Spanish onion.
    • Bell peppers – I am using three colors, to reflect the colorful island life.
    • Fresh tomatoes – To create the sauce.
    • Tomato paste – To enhance the flavors.
    • Garlic – Plenty.
    • Cilantro – An important Latin herb
    • Green olive – You will find this in most guisados to create that Spanish flavor.
    • Adobo – Their seasoned salt.
    • Oregano – That’s the only spice we are using for this simple stew.
    • Chicken broth – The base for the stew.
    • Lime – For that freshness and tang.
    • Olive oil – To tenderize the meat while marinating.
    • Black pepper – A little extra flavor.
    • Sugar – To caramelize and brown the chicken.

    Let’s make this super simple Dominican stew

    First, dice your veggies, garlic, cilantro and halve your olives.

    chopped veggies on a cutting board

    Keep the chicken pieces large and remove skin. Place in a large bowl and coat with adobo, black pepper and oregano.

    raw chicken pieces with seasoning added

    Add chopped veggies, garlic, olives, cilantro, lime juice and olive oil and mix everything well. If you have the time, marinate the chicken in all these yummies for a few hours. The more the better, as all the flavors seep into the meat.

    chicken marinating with chopped veggies in a bowl

    When you are ready to cook, you will start by giving a little color to your chicken using a common Caribbean method. Heat up cooking oil in large stew pot over medium high heat. Then add sugar and stir continuously until it caramelizes, about one minute. Then add in your chicken pieces and cook for 5-6 minutes per side, until it gets a nice brown color. This is the secret for that amazing caramelized chicken you get in these stews.

    browned chicken in a pot

    Once that’s done, add the remaining marinade mixture, mix well, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes.

    browned chicken and chopped veggies in a pot

    Stir in tomato paste and chicken broth and again cover. Reduce heat to medium low and cook until the chicken is cooked fall of the bone, about 45 minutes. Stir occasionally.

    chicken, veggies and broth in a pot with a glob of tomato paste

    You can add more chicken broth according to the consistency you like. I like it on the drier side with a nice thick sauce. Once done, you can squeeze in more lime if you want and garnish with more fresh cilantro.

    cooked pollo guisado in a pot

    How to serve Pollo Guisado

    Serve this stew with a plateful of your favourite white rice and dig in. You will be amazed by the flavor that is created with such a simple few ingredients. If you want to go all out with your Latin night, you can have a side of black beans and fry some tostones.

    pollo guisado alongside a scoop of white rice on a blue plate

    Can I store it?

    SURE YOU CAN! As any with other stew, it gets better and better as the days go by. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It’s a great leftover on a busy weeknight. You can also freeze in an airtight container for 3 months.

    pollo guisado alongside a scoop of white rice on a blue plate

    So my friends, this coming week if you don’t know what to do with that chicken, try my Dominican style stew. This will make your life so easy, colorful and flavorful! In no time this is going to be your family favorite too… Buen Provencho!!

    Dominican Pollo Guisado, on my Gypsy Plate… enjoy!

    pollo guisado alongside a scoop of white rice on the gypsy plate

    On the subject of Latin food…
    Puerto Rican Picadillo
    Crock Pot Barbacoa Pork
    Pastel de Choclo
    Cuban Mojo Marinade
    Pico de Gallo
    Bistec Encebollado
    Salsa Taquera

    Pollo guisado.

    Dominican Pollo Guisado (Chicken Stew)

    Yield: 6 servings
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

    Pollo Guisado, a classic comfort food in many Latin countries. This Dominican version uses simple ingredients to create an amazing depth of flavor.

    Ingredients

    • 3 lbs bone-in, skinless chicken
    • 1 onion
    • 3 bell peppers
    • 3 medium tomatoes
    • 1/4 cup green olives
    • 6-8 garlic cloves
    • 1/4 cup cilantro
    • 1 Tbsp adobo
    • 1 Tbsp oregano
    • 1/2 tsp black pepper
    • 1 lime, juiced
    • 1.5 Tbsp olive oil
    • 2 Tbsp cooking oil
    • 1 tsp sugar
    • 1/2 cup chicken broth
    • 1 Tbsp tomato paste

    Instructions

    1. Chop veggies, garlic, cilantro and olives. Remove skin from chicken. Add chicken to large bowl and top with adobo, oregano and pepper. Add chopped ingredients and olive oil. Mix well and marinate (the longer the better).
    2. Heat cooking oil in a large pot over medium high heat.. Add sugar and stir continuously, about one minute, until sugar is caramelized. Add chicken, brown each side 5-6 minutes.
    3. Add remaining marination ingredients. Mix, cover and cook 4-5 minutes.
    4. Add chicken broth and tomato paste. Mix well. Cover and cook 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check your chicken with a fork. Is it falling off the bone? If not, continue cooking until it is.
    5. Serve alongside a heap of white rice.
    Nutrition Information
    Yield 6 Serving Size 1
    Amount Per Serving Calories 565Total Fat 27gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 18gCholesterol 202mgSodium 427mgCarbohydrates 12gFiber 2gSugar 5gProtein 68g

    Nutrition information calculated by Nutritionix.

    Did you make this recipe?

    Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

    long pin of dominican pollo guisado

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