Pollo Guisado Recipe

Warm your bones and fill your belly with Pollo Guisado, a hearty Puerto Rican chicken stew that’s packed with flavor, easy to make, and ready to devour in about an hour. Granted, we eat this year-round on my little island, where it rarely dips below 70 degrees. But it’s especially delightful when the weather turns chilly and you’re looking for a hearty meal to make you feel all sorts of toasty.

This is not a historically authentic recipe. We strive to create recipes that are accessible to everyone, which means ingredients need to be available at a mainstream budget grocery store. We test recipes using the least amount of steps, tools, and ingredients while still honoring the spirit of the recipe. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico and look forward to a time when our ingredients are available in mainstream markets. Until then, buen provecho!

Pollo Guisado (pronounced puh-yuh gee-sah-duh) is a Puerto Rican stew made up of braised chicken, potatoes, carrots, and olives in a tomato-based broth. Like most savory dishes from the island, its deep flavor comes from sofrito, a blend of peppers, onions, garlic, and cilantro. The unctious chicken, briny olives, and subtle sweetness of the carrots make a truly perfect bite.

Traditionally, this is a bone-in chicken stew. To create a quicker cooking time, and manageable bites, we have opted for chopped skinless, boneless chicken thighs. Feel free to use bone in chicken thighs, or butcher a whole chicken. You can also use any protein that benefits from a long braise. You can substitute chicken with chuck roast, top round, or even steak. Using these cuts will lengthen your cooking time by thirty or so minutes. If you are vegetarian or vegan, use a vegetable-based broth and substitute the chicken with mushrooms. Brown them, just as you would the chicken, which helps them release moisture and develop big flavors.

If you find your broth to be entirely too watery at the end of the cook, here are a few tips to help you thicken it.

On the island, this stew is traditionally served over white rice. But feel free to break with tradition and serve it with:

Pollo Guisado (Puerto Rican Chicken Stew)

Warm your bones and fill your belly with Pollo Guisado, a hearty Puerto Rican chicken stew packed with flavor that’s easy to make and ready to devour in under an hour.

Prep: 15min

Total: 70min

Yield: 4

Serving Size: 2 cups

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 2 cups, calories 470 kcal, Carbohydrate 36 g, Protein 42 g, Fat 18 g, Sodium 843 mg, Fiber 6 g

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lb chicken thighs, boneless and skinless ($4.49)
• 2 tsp adobo, all-purpose seasoning* ($0.08)
• 2 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.08)
• 1 yellow onion, large dice ($0.42)
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped ($0.14)
• 1/2 cup sofrito ($0.72)
• 8 oz tomato sauce ($0.59)
• 1 packet sazón seasoning with annatto* ($0.17)
• 2 bay leaves ($0.20)
• 2 tsp dried oregano ($0.20)
• 1/4 cup manzanilla olives, pimiento-stuffed ($0.33)
• 1 large potato, 2-inch dice (about 1 cup) ($1.12)
• 2 large carrots, 1/4-inch rounds (about 1 cup ) ($0.32)
• 3 cups chicken stock ($0.51)

Instruction:

1. Dry the chicken thighs thoroughly with paper towels. Cut into 2-inch cubes. Season with Adobo.
2. Set a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the oil. Once it has warmed, add the chicken in one layer and brown.
3. Once the chicken has browned, remove it from the pot and set it aside. Add the onion to the pot, and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Add the sofrito and tomato sauce. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until it is thick and bubbly.
5. Add the sazón, bay leaves, oregano, olives, potatoes, carrots, and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil.
6. Add the chicken back into the pot. Lower the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 40-50 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
7. Take the stew off the heat, sample it, and add salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Pollo Guisado Recipe (Chicken Stew)

This pollo guisado recipe is a flavorful braised chicken stew popular in Caribbean and Latin American cuisines, with loads of chicken, so easy to make!

Prep: 10min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 451 kcal, Carbohydrate 26 g, Protein 28 g, Fat 26 g, Saturated Fat 7 g, Cholesterol 96 mg, Sodium 618 mg, Fiber 4 g, Sugar 5 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 2-1/2 pound chicken (cut up, skin on)
• 2 tablespoons adobo seasoning
• 1 tablespoon sazon seasoning
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion (chopped)
• 1 small bell pepper (chopped (or use hotter peppers to your taste))
• 3 cloves garlic (chopped)
• 1/4 cup sofrito
• 1/2 cup olives
• 3 medium potatoes (halved and quartered)
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 8 ounces tomato sauce
• 1 cup chicken broth
• FOR GARNISH: Spicy chili flakes (fresh chopped parsley)

Instruction:

1. Season the chicken with adobo and sazon seasoning. Be sure to get all sides.
2. Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes to brown all sides, flipping half way through.
3. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic and sofrito. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes.
4. Add the olives, potatoes, bay leaves, tomato sauce and chicken broth.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and fall-off-the-bone. It should register 165 degrees internal (minimum) when measured with a food thermometer.
6. Garnish with red pepper flakes and fresh chopped parsley and serve.

Pollo Guisado or Latin Chicken Stew

Pollo Guisado or Latin Chicken Stew is a hearty braised chicken stew popular in Caribbean, Central and South American cuisines, with loads of flavor and so easy to make!

Prep: 10min

Total: 75min

Yield: 4

Serving Size: 2 pieces chicken, 1/3 cup sauce

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 2 pieces chicken, 1/3 cup sauce, calories 344 kcal, Carbohydrate 7 g, Protein 49 g, Fat 12 g, Saturated Fat 2.5 g, Cholesterol 221 mg, Sodium 1100 mg, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 3 g

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless chicken drumsticks (on the bone, 14 oz total)
• 4 skinless chicken thighs (on the bone, trimmed, 20 ounces)
• 1/2 teaspoon adobo seasoning salt
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 4 medium scallions (chopped)
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (plus 2 tbsp for garnish)
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 packet sazon seasoning (optional)
• 1/4 cup pitted green olives (plus 2 tablespoons brine)
• 1 tablespoon Chicken Better Than Bouillon (or 1 cube)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 2 bay leaves

Instruction:

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2. {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘In a large deep skillet, xa0pot or Dutch oven, over medium heat saute the scallions in olive oil until soft, 2 to 3 minutes.’, ‘name’: ‘In a large deep skillet, xa0pot or Dutch oven, over medium heat saute the scallions in olive oil until soft, 2 to 3 minutes.’, ‘url’: ‘https://www.skinnytaste.com/pollo-guisado/#wprm-recipe-85611-step-0-1’, ‘image’: ‘https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Latin-Chicken-Stew-with-Olives.jpg’}
3. {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Add the garlic and 1/4 cup cilantro cook until soft, 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.’, ‘name’: ‘Add the garlic and 1/4 cup cilantro cook until soft, 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.’, ‘url’: ‘https://www.skinnytaste.com/pollo-guisado/#wprm-recipe-85611-step-0-2’}
4. {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Nestle the chicken in the pot and let brown 5 minutes, turning halfway.’, ‘name’: ‘Nestle the chicken in the pot and let brown 5 minutes, turning halfway.’, ‘url’: ‘https://www.skinnytaste.com/pollo-guisado/#wprm-recipe-85611-step-0-3’, ‘image’: ‘https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Latin-Chicken-Stew-with-Olives-2.jpg’}
5. {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Add tomato sauce, Sazon if using, 1 cup water, olive, olive brine, Bouillon, cumin and stir. Add the bay leaves and bring to a boil.’, ‘name’: ‘Add tomato sauce, Sazon if using, 1 cup water, olive, olive brine, Bouillon, cumin and stir. Add the bay leaves and bring to a boil.’, ‘url’: ‘https://www.skinnytaste.com/pollo-guisado/#wprm-recipe-85611-step-0-4’, ‘image’: ‘https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Latin-Chicken-Stew-with-Olives-3.jpg’}
6. {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Cover and cook 50 minutes over medium-low heat, until the chicken is tender.’, ‘name’: ‘Cover and cook 50 minutes over medium-low heat, until the chicken is tender.’, ‘url’: ‘https://www.skinnytaste.com/pollo-guisado/#wprm-recipe-85611-step-0-5’}
7. {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Uncover the pot, increase the heat to high and cook to thicken the sauce, about 5 to 10 minutes.’, ‘name’: ‘Uncover the pot, increase the heat to high and cook to thicken the sauce, about 5 to 10 minutes.’, ‘url’: ‘https://www.skinnytaste.com/pollo-guisado/#wprm-recipe-85611-step-0-6’}
8. {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Remove the bay leaves, adjust salt if needed and add the remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro.’, ‘name’: ‘Remove the bay leaves, adjust salt if needed and add the remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro.’, ‘url’: ‘https://www.skinnytaste.com/pollo-guisado/#wprm-recipe-85611-step-0-7’}
9. {‘@type’: ‘HowToSection’, ‘name’: ‘To make this in the Instant Pot’, ‘itemListElement’: [{‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Cook on high pressure 20 minutes.’, ‘name’: ‘Cook on high pressure 20 minutes.’, ‘url’: ‘https://www.skinnytaste.com/pollo-guisado/#wprm-recipe-85611-step-1-0’}, {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Natural release, discard bay leaves and top with remaining cilantro.’, ‘name’: ‘Natural release, discard bay leaves and top with remaining cilantro.’, ‘url’: ‘https://www.skinnytaste.com/pollo-guisado/#wprm-recipe-85611-step-1-1’}]}

Pollo Guisado (Puerto Rican Chicken Stew)

Prep: 5min

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs or legs (if using breasts, cut in half)
• 1 teaspoon Adobo all purpose seasoning (Recommended brand: Goya)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 tablespoons sofrito (homemade or storebought)
• 2 packets Sazon seasoning with annatto (Recommended brand: Goya)
• 1 tablespoon powdered chicken bouillon (or more according to your taste)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3 cups water
• 3/4 cup diced potatoes
• 3/4 cup baby carrots
• 2 bay leaves
• 10-12 pimento-stuffed olives
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Instruction:

1. Heat a Dutch oven on medium heat.
2. Season the chicken with the Adobo seasoning, then add the olive oil and chicken to the pot. Let the pieces brown for 4-5 minutes on each side.
3. Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside.
4. Add the sofrito, Sazon, tomato paste, powdered chicken bouillon, oregano, water, potatoes, carrots, bay leaves and olives into the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then add the chicken back into the pot.
5. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook the pollo guisado for 40-50 minutes with the lid on* or until the chicken is cooked through.If your stew is too watery. cook with the lid off to reduce the liquid to your desired level.
6. Check for seasoning and add a bit more chicken bouillon if the pollo guisado needs a bit more salt.
7. Sprinkle the finished stew with the chopped cilantro, if using, and stir.
8. Serve with white rice, mashed potatoes or some crusty bread for dipping!

Pollo Guisado – Puerto Rican Style Chicken Stew Recipe