Pollo Guisado Recipe
An authentic pollo guisado recipe featuring tender braised chicken simmered in a rich, savory sazón and tomato-based sauce, ready to serve over rice.
Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- blender or food processor
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
Sazón Base
- 1 medium yellow onion roughly chopped
- 1 green bell pepper roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- 2 tbsp lime juice
Chicken and Stew
- 2½ lbs bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp achiote annatto oil or paste
- 1 can 8 oz tomato sauce
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 large potato peeled and cubed
- ½ cup pitted green olives
- Fresh cilantro chopped, for garnish
Instructions
Make the Sazón Base and Marinate the Chicken
- In a blender or food processor, combine the onion, bell pepper, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice, blending until mostly smooth to form the sazón base.
- Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then rub about half of the sazón base directly onto the chicken. Let it marinate for at least 20 minutes at room temperature, or up to a few hours in the refrigerator for deeper flavor.
Brown the Chicken and Build the Sauce
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken pieces in batches, about 4-5 minutes per side, until golden, then transfer to a plate and set aside.
- In the same pot, add the achiote oil and the remaining sazón base, cooking for 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the tomato sauce and tomato paste, cooking for another 2 minutes to deepen the flavor.
Simmer Until Tender
- Return the browned chicken to the pot, then pour in the chicken broth, oregano, and bay leaf, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30-35 minutes.
- Add the cubed potato and olives, continuing to simmer uncovered for another 10-15 minutes, until the chicken is fully tender, the potatoes are cooked through, and the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Remove the bay leaf, taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt if needed, then garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve hot over rice.
Notes
Marinating the chicken with the sazón base, even briefly, makes a real difference in how well the flavor penetrates the meat before cooking even begins, so try not to skip this step even if you're short on time.
Browning the chicken properly before adding liquid builds significant depth of flavor, since those browned bits left in the pot dissolve into the sauce as it simmers.
Achiote oil contributes both color and a subtle earthy flavor that's central to authentic pollo guisado dominicano, so it's worth seeking out at a Latin grocery store if you can't find it at a regular supermarket.
Letting the sauce simmer uncovered during the final stage helps it thicken to the right consistency, so don't rush through that step even if the chicken already looks done.
This stew tends to taste even better the next day once the flavors have had more time to meld, making it a great make-ahead option for the week.