Dominican Pollo Guisado Chicken Stew

Served over rice, it’s pure comfort food bliss. Trust me, you’ve got to try it to believe how deliciously simple it is!

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 Needed

Chicken – Any stew is best with bone in chicken parts. I use 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 I am 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.

How to Make Pollo Guisado

Prep the vegetables: First, I dice my veggies, garlic, and cilantro, and halve my olives.
Prep the chicken: I keep the chicken pieces large and remove the skin. Then, I place them in a large bowl and coat them with adobo, black pepper, and oregano.
Marinate: I add the chopped veggies, garlic, olives, cilantro, lime juice, and olive oil, mixing everything well. If I have the time, I like to marinate the chicken in all these delicious ingredients for a few hours. The longer, the better, as it allows all the flavors to seep into the meat.
Brown the chicken: When I’m ready to cook, I start by adding cooking oil to a big stew pot over medium-high heat. Then, I toss in some sugar and keep stirring until it caramelizes, which takes about a minute. Next, I add my chicken pieces and let them cook for about 5-6 minutes on each side until they get beautifully browned. This is the secret for that amazing caramelized chicken you get in these Caribbean stews.
Add the veggies: Once that’s done, I add the remaining marinade mixture, mix well, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes.
Simmer: Next I stir in tomato paste and chicken broth and again cover. I reduce heat to medium low and cook until the chicken is cooked to fall of the bone tender, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Customize: 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, I squeeze in more lime and garnish with more fresh cilantro.

Serving Suggestions

I love pairing Pollo Guisado with a generous helping of my favorite white rice. Then, I dive right in, and let me tell you, the flavor that comes out of such simple ingredients is truly mind-blowing! If you want to go all out with your Latin night, you can have a side of Black Beans and fry some Tostones.

Alpana’s Tips

Marination Time: I find that the longer I marinate the chicken, the tastier it gets. Aim for a few hours or overnight if possible. Caramelizing Sugar: I always keep a close eye on the sugar caramelization. It adds such a rich color to the dish, but if you overdo it, it can turn bitter. So, I make sure to watch it carefully to get it just right. Meat Check: I like our stewed chicken falling off the bone tender, that’s why I prefer dark meat here. Check the internal temperature with an instant read thermometer. Chicken is safe to eat at 165 degrees, which is the correct temperature to cook breast to, but dark meat is not really tender till about 185 degrees. Stir: I make sure to stir the dish occasionally while it cooks to prevent it sticking to the pot.

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