When life gets chaotic and I’m craving a traditional but easy Puerto Rican dish, my go-to recipe is Pollo Guisado! Puerto Rican Pollo Guisado is a Boricua Style Chicken Stew that is slow cooked in a sofrito tomato sauce with potatoes, carrots, olives and fresh cilantro. This Pollo Guisado recipe is super easy and packed with a ton of flavor!
Meat Type for Pollo Guisado
In the war of white vs. dark meat, I chose juicy dark chicken thighs for this recipe. An even better choice are bone-in dark meat chicken thighs. Keeping the bone inside the chicken naturally makes it more moist and also helps in achieving that even sear.
Building Flavor – Puerto Rican Style
There is nothing bland about Pollo Guisado. The best way to build that signature Puerto Rican flavor is to build the stew with homemade sofrito. Canned sofrito may be more convenient, but I guarantee that making it from scratch tastes 1000 times better. It makes all the difference in this recipe, because of its fresh bold flavor.
- Need a good homemade sofrito? Click here: https://www.nataknowsbest.com/puerto-rican-sofrito/ *
As you slowly simmer that homemade sofrito in some olive oil, it’s important to add tomato sauce or paste. The sweetness of the tomato compliments the fresh herbs in the sofrito and creates a delicious balance of flavor. These two ingredients are what make the base of the stew.
Next step is to season that base. Some of my favorite season blends to use in Pollo Guisado are:
- Adobo All Purpose Seasoning (for the chicken)
- Sazon with Achiote y Culantro (for the stew)
- Knorr Chicken Bouillon Cube (for the stew)
- Bay Leaves (for the stew)
Make the Stew Hearty with Veggies
My favorite thing about Pollo Guisado is how hearty it is. It’s very filling and technically could be a meal on it’s own. I like to add tons of chopped veggies like: baby carrots and yellow potatoes. You could even add sweet potatoes, pumpkin or squash for some extra sweetness.
One ingredient I DO NOT add in my Pollo Guisado recipe is olives. Yes, I’m one of those Puerto Ricans. I don’t like to texture and sourness of olives but if you like it – go for it!
In true Puerto Rican fashion, this recipe pairs well with white rice, salad and even fried plantains (tostones).
Puerto Rican Stewed Recipes
What’s the best thing about Puerto Rican recipes that are stewed? They are usually made in ONE POT! I love it! It makes for such an easy clean-up.
* If looking for some more Puerto Rican Stewed Recipes, below is a good collection *
- Habichuelas Guisadas: https://www.nataknowsbest.com/habichuelas-guisadas-puerto-rican-stewed-red-beans/
- Puerto Rican Ropa Vieja: https://youtu.be/Q7Kx2zhbDzg
- Arroz con Pollo: https://youtu.be/fb9pwPDQZPo
Pollo Guisado | Puerto Rican Chicken Stew
Equipment
- Caldero or Dutch Pot
Ingredients
- 2 pounds bone-in chicken thigh (with or without skin)
- 2 tablespoons adobo all purpose seasoning (or to taste)
- 1/4 cup homemade sofrito (canned is acceptable)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 packet sazon with achiote y culantro
- 1 cube chicken bouillon
- 3 medium yellow potatoes (peeled and chopped)
- 1 cup baby carrots (chopped)
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup drained stuffed olives (optional)
Instructions
- Begin by generously seasoning the chicken thighs with adobo or desired spice blend. Massage the seasoning into the chicken and rest in fridge for 30 minutes.
- In a caldero or dutch pot, on medium heat, add in some olive oil and sear the seasoned chicken thighs skin side down. Cook for 4-7 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Flip and sear on other side.
- Once seared and partial cooked, remove chicken from pot and rest. In the same pot, with the leftover chicken drippings, saute homemade sofrito for 3 minutes or until fragrant.
- Next add tomato paste or tomato sauce. Combine well and cook for 5 minutes to remove acidic flavor.
- Pour chicken broth in pot and simmer. Season broth with sazon and chicken bouillon.
- Add in chopped carrots and potatoes and slowly bring to boil.
- Once boiling add in bay leaves, drained olives (optional) and partial cooked chicken thighs. Cover with lid and reduce heat to a low simmer.
- Cook for 35 minutes or until chicken and veggies are tender. Serve with white rice, salad and tostones.
