What Dominican does not love a good pollo guisado (braised chicken)?
I am the grandchild of farmers, and so is my husband. If you can count on anything it is on farmers being sensible people. They are rarely too picky about their food, after all they know full well that pork does not come cut into slices or vacuum-packed, and that chicken is not made of thighs and breasts. Every part of the animal is of some use; nothing is wasted.
Generations later, when our child has only stepped on a farm on visits, things have changed in our family.
In my own family there are different opinions on food. Years before the term “vegan” entered my vocabulary, soy “meat” was already being consumed in my parental home, courtesy of father, who ironically is very carnivorous.
My siblings and I inherited my father’s adventurous approach to food. My brother, the most fearless of the three will tackle any food, even those I thumb my nose at. It’s not like my sister and I stick only to the conventional, we are open to trying new things, within reason.
How many times have I heard, between laughter and confused looks, many a foreigner who fail to comprehend why a lot of Dominicans eat chicken feet, giblets and other parts of the chicken that are discarded or used as animal food in other countries?
The truth is that it is all a matter of culture (and, to a certain extent, the person’s means), just like farmers who decades before refrigeration would slaughter the chicken they raised and could not afford to waste too much, many a Dominican has had to squeeze every penny out of their grocery budget. Every little bit counts.
Here from our perspective, removed from the reality of the farmer of yesteryear, or the poor of today, I am in no position to judge anyone’s culinary choice. Neither should you.
Pollo guisado (Braised chicken)
Chicken is one of the most popular meats in the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean. One reason for this, and this is partially based on first-hand knowledge, is the fact that it is a relatively inexpensive food compared to other meats. Other reasons for its popularity include its versatility and short cooking times. But most of all, chicken has more fans than any other type of meat.
And of all the ways you can cook meat, pollo guisado (braised chicken) one is the indisputable favorite amongst Dominicans.
Aunt Clara
Our pollo guisado recipe (braised chicken) is one our most popular Dominican ones. Simple dish with cooking video for foolproof results. Easy to prepare and very rich this is a treat you cannot miss.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs of chicken cut into small pieces
- 2 lemons cut into halves
- 2 green bell peppers
- 1/2 cup of chopped celery (optional)
- 1 small red onion chopped into fine strips or eighths
- 4 plum tomatoes cut into quarters
- 2 tablespoons of oil
- 1/4 cup of seedless olives cut into halves(optional)
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste o 1 cup of tomato sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon of mashed garlic
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- A pinch of oregano
- A small bunch of fresh coriander leaves
- Salt
Instructions
- Cut the chicken in small pieces.
- Wash the chicken with warm water and scrub with the lemon getting lemon juice into all the crevices.
- In a bowl mix the chicken, oregano, onion, celery, tomatoes, a pinch of salt and garlic. Marinate for 30 minutes.
- In a pot heat the oil over medium heat, add the sugar and wait until the sugar browns.
- Add the chicken (reserve vegetables and herbs) and sauté until the meat is light brown.
- Add 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes adding water by the tablespoons when necessary.
- Add onion, celery, tomatoes, peppers, olives, a pinch of salt and garlic, cover and and simmer until the vegetables are cooked through, adding water if necessary.
- Add the tomato sauce and half a cup of water, simmer over low heat to produce a light sauce. Add the fresh cilantro.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with arroz blanco, a side dish (or salad) and beans.
Notes
Braising is sometimes also known as pot roasting.
Originally published Feb, 2002
Aunt Clara's Kitchen is a collection of traditional Dominican and Dominican-inspired recipes, home ideas, crafts, and the chronicles of Aunt Clara and Aunt Ilana's adventures.
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{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
This is a great, delicious recipe. However, mixing the chopped chicken with the rest of the ingredients, then having to separate them is tedious. All in all, I will probably make it again but cut the chicken into bigger chunks to make it easier to separate after the marinating time.
Whatever works for you. That is the beauty of our cuisine.
This recipe was delicious! Thank you for sharing. I also featured it on my food blog heartforcooking.blogspot.com.
Thank you, you have a lovely blog.
Thank you so much for this recipe! I visited the DR last September for the first time and I really fell in love with the food. Sadly, I live in Denver, where there are no Dominican restaurants. I've made this at least 10 times already! It's delicious and reminds me very much of the pollo guisado we had in Cabarete. It requires a bit of work to prepare but I think it's worth it. I make it with habichuelas rojas guisadas, fried plantains, and brown rice. I know the brown rice isn't very Dominican but it makes for a healthier meal. Thanks again for the recipe. It's my own little piece of the DR
I have been to the Republica Dominicana 6 times over the past 7 years as a missionary.We are building a hospital in Halto Neuvo.I LOVE the R.D. and its people!!! Were we stay is a little lady who makes Pollo Guisado every time we go .Now I can make it. I am making a R.D. dinner at church on Sunday as part of our making people aware of our up coming trip in November.Thank you when I make this dish I remember my family and friends and my adopted country.
you are my new best friend. Where have you been.. Yesterday I did the sancocho, today I did the this and it my house smells like my mom's use to when i was small.. I thank you, my kids thank you, and my hunnie would like to propose to you.. GREAT GREAT Recipes..
Thanks, Alex.
Can you tell me how to make this in a crock pot?
I wouldn't know. It would not be braised then as that specific cooking method is not suitable for crock pots.
Pollo guisado es uno de esos platos que en Puerto Rico comemos tanto! Mi abuela lo prepara delicioso, pero muy diferente a las recetas traidcionales. Creo que ese es su secreto. Este se parece mucho al más tradicional que se consume en mi país. Me da hambre de sólo mirar la foto!
Hello, I was born in the D.R and every now and then I cook the foods that I dont get to eat often, because my wife is from Honduras and our way of cooking is not known by central Americans. It is funny, but I just had Pollo Guisado with rice and fried plantains about 10 minutes ago during lunch break, and was looking for a way to translate Pollo Guisado on Google and found this awsome website.
Looks like we made it! We are being found as a source of language wisdom. Language is my second biggest passion right after food.
And welcome, stick around. We could learn a thing or two from each other.
¡delicioso! Y muy bien explicada la receta. Me quedó muy rico. Muchas gracias
Hi! Thank you for posting these recipes in both spanish and english, my husband is Dominican and I love to cook and wish I'd have absorbed more of his mothers recipes. This website gives me a chance to try my not-so Dominican hand at these yummy recipes and gives my husband a taste of home. Thank you from both of us!!!
So glad to have found this blog. Comida deliciosa!!!
I heard that pollo guisado is stew can someone comment about it please?
Interesting. Where did you hear that?. It is technically not a stew. Not enough liquid to be called stew, plus there is no boiling involved.
i have this recipe printed from 9/2004 (I’m a long time fan!) and it was named stewed chicken! maybe that is where this person got it from?? wasn’t there a beef stewed recipe previously??
I think the heart is the most underrated part of the chicken. I come from a background where people don’t eat organ meats unless they have to, so I get a lot of weird looks for that. I’ll definitely have to try this recipe with hearts!
Love your blog – my boyfriend is Dominican and has taught me to make tostones, so I want to give him some home cooking in return.