Puerto Rican
Gluten freePollo guisado puertorriqueño
Braised chicken with sofrito
Pollo guisado: Puerto Rican braised chicken in sofrito and tomato with potatoes and olives
Pollo guisado is everyday comfort in Puerto Rican homes, the weeknight pot from Mayagüez to Orlando that turns a few chicken thighs into a rich, saucy stew for rice and beans. The chicken is seasoned with adobo-style garlic and oregano, browned, then braised in sofrito and tomato with potatoes, peppers and olives until the sauce is thick and orange from achiote. The common mistake is using skinless breast, which dries out and turns stringy in a long braise; bone-in thighs and drumsticks stay juicy. It is done when the thickest piece reaches 74 °C and the meat starts to pull away from the bone. Chef's tip: leave the browned skin on for flavour and spoon off the extra fat before serving.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 470 kcal
Ingredients
- 2 ⅝ lb chicken thighs and drumsticksbone in
- 4 cloves garliccrushed
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp ground annatto (achiote)
- ¾ cup passata
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 14 oz potatoesin 3 cm chunks
- 1 red pepperin strips
- 1 ¾ oz pimento-stuffed olives
- 1 bay leaf
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Rub 2 ⅝ lb chicken thighs and drumsticks with 4 cloves garlic, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 ¼ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper and 1 tbsp lime juice. Cover and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes, or up to overnight.
Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a wide casserole over a medium-high heat and brown the chicken skin side down first, 4 minutes a side, until golden. Lift out.
8 minStep 3: Lower the heat, add 4 oz sofrito (blended onion, pepper, garlic, coriander) and 1 tsp ground annatto (achiote) and cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until fragrant.
3 minStep 5: Add 14 oz potatoes, 1 red pepper and 1 ¾ oz pimento-stuffed olives, cover and simmer for 20 minutes more, until the potatoes are tender and the thickest piece of chicken reads 165°F.
20 minStep 6: Skim off excess fat, remove the bay leaf and serve with white rice and beans.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pollo guisado puertorriqueño take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of dried oregano?
- Dried thyme or marjoram, same amount.
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