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    Asopao de Pollo (Chicken and Rice Pottage)

    Asopao de pollo (Chicken and Rice Pottage) recipe.

    En Español Recipe ↆ

    Served on chilly days, or as a quick, inexpensive dish, this asopao de pollo (chicken and rice pottage) recipe is always a favorite.

    Asopao de pollo (chicken and rice pottage).
    Asopao de pollo.

    JUMP TO: show ↓
    1. Why we ❤️ it
    2. What's asopao?
    3. Serving suggestions
    4. More asopao recipes
    5. About this recipe
    6. Video
    7. Recipe

    Why we ❤️ it

    This asopao de pollo recipe -- a very popular Dominican dish -- is one I took straight from my mom's repertoire, with almost no change to the flavor of hers. This is something I ate many, MANY times when I lived at the parental home.

    What's asopao?

    Asopao is a thick rice soup or pottage with vegetables, tomato sauce, and some kind of protein, chicken asopao and shrimp asopao being the most popular in both the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.

    The word asopao is a contraction of "asopado", which means soupy, or soup-like in Spanish. In English, the translation for asopao can be "rice stew" or "rice pottage".

    The basic ingredients in asopao are rice, seasonings, tomato sauce, and some kind of protein (meat or seafood). How much of any of these are added depends on the family taste, and --most importantly-- the food budget.

    This is one of those dishes that can be stretched, and serve a lot with little, consequently, asopao Dominicano has become associated with last-minute "cocina'os" (get-togethers) on a tight budget.

    3 dishes with asopao de pollo (chicken and rice pottage).
    Asopao de pollo (chicken and rice pottage).

    Asopao de pollo (chicken & rice pottage).

    Serving suggestions

    The most common thing served with Dominican-style asopao is some slices of avocado, and – if one's feeling fancy – some tostones too.

    A bottle of agrio de naranja or spicy sauce of one's choice on the side is appreciated.

    More asopao recipes

    • Asopao de Camarones (Shrimp and Rice Pottage)
    • Asopao de Chuleta (Smoked Pork Chops and Rice Soup)
    • Asopao de Longaniza (Dominican Sausage and Rice Stew)
    • Brown Rice Asopao
    • Vegan Asopao (Rice and Garden Vegetables Pottage)

    About this recipe

    As the recipe indicates, some of these vegetables are actually optional, though commonly found in chicken asopaos. My favorite is auyama, which gives this asopao a creaminess I love. This recipe reflects my own taste and my family's sazon, but you can definitely add more vegetables if you wish. Some popular additions are green peas, pitted green olives, capers, celery, and onion. You can also substitute fresh cilantro for parsley, or add a mixture of both. This is a very forgiving dish.

    Remember that the consistency of this stew is also a matter of taste, some prefer it soupier, some thicker (closer to a risotto consistency), some people prefer very soft grain or rice but still firm, some prefer it when they have doubled and open. Try to find the exact way you like it best.

    Do you have any secrets for how to make asopao de pollo even better? Let me know in the comments!

    Buen provecho!

    Tia Clara

    Video

    Recipe

    This awesome free recipe contains Amazon affiliate links, we receive a small commission from any purchase you make at no extra cost to you. Thanks!

    Asopao de Pollo (Chicken and Rice Pottage)
    Keep screen on while cooking

    [Recipe + Video] Asopao de Pollo (Chicken and Rice Pottage)

    By: Clara Gonzalez
    Served on chilly days, or as a quick, inexpensive dish, this asopao de pollo (chicken and rice pottage) recipe is always a favorite.
    5 from 4 votes
    Save for Later Send by Email Print Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Dinner, Lunch
    Cuisine Dominican, Latino
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 581 kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1½ pound chicken, [0.7 kg] boneless, and cut into small pieces (see notes)
    • 1½ tablespoon salt, (or more, to taste, divided)
    • 1¼ teaspoons pepper (freshly-cracked, or ground), (or more, to taste, divided)
    • 1 teaspoon oregano (dry, ground)
    • 1 tablespoon lime juice, (optional)
    • 2 ½ tablespoon oil for frying
    • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
    • 1 tablespoon mashed garlic
    • 1 red bell pepper, diced
    • 1 large carrot, diced (optional)
    • ¼ cup sweet corn, or green peas, or both (optional)
    • 1 cup diced auyama (kabocha squash), optional)
    • 1½ cup tomato sauce
    • 1¼ cups rice
    • 2 tablespoons minced parsley

    Instructions
     

    • Seasoning the chicken
      Seasoning chicken: Season the chicken with 1½ teaspoons of salt, pepper, oregano, and lime juice.
    • Browning the chicken
      Browning chicken: Heat the oil over medium heat in a ¾ qt [3 lt] pot. Add sugar to the hot oil and heat until it turns brown.
      Add chicken and stir to brown all over. Be careful with splatters.
    • Adding vegetables: Add garlic, tomato, bell pepper, oregano, carrot, peas, auyama, and stir to mix.
      Stir frequently to cook evenly for about a minute (until they are heated through). Add tomato sauce and stir to combine.
    • Stirring asopo
      Cooking rice: Pour 6 cups [1½ liters] of water and heat until it breaks the boil.
      Add the rice to the pot. Stir to mix well and simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer, stirring often to avoid the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
      Once the rice has doubled in size, and the grains have opened, and it has reduced to the consistency you prefer, season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix in the parsley. and remove from the heat.
    • Serving asoapo
      Serving: It should be served hot, and popular side dishes are avocado slices and / or tostones. Serve agrio de naranja or hot sauce on the side.

    Tips and Notes

    Typically, Dominican asopao de pollo is made with bone-in chicken cut into small pieces, but I am of the school of thought of "if it's a soup, everything should be eaten with a spoon". You may use bone-in chicken if you wish.

    How to make Asopao de Pollo y Camarones

    Add ½ pound of peeled shrimp in the last 5 minutes of cooking when the rice is cooked. Cook some more until the shrimp turns pink. No other changes are needed.

    How to make Asopao de Pollo y Chuleta

    Add ½ pound of diced, boneless, smoked pork chops to brown with the chicken. No other changes are needed.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 581kcalCarbohydrates: 66gProtein: 27gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 2165mgPotassium: 810mgFiber: 4gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 3839IUVitamin C: 47mgCalcium: 71mgIron: 3mg

    Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.

    READERS SEARCHED FOR asopao de gallina, asopao de pollo recipe, asopao dominican recipe, meat pottage recipe
    More recipes with: chicken, grains, meat, poultry, rice

    Published Jan 2, 2015, revised Sep 6, 2022

    More Dominican Main Dishes for Every Occasion

    • Moro-Locrio (Rice with Black Beans and Pork)
    • Liver and Onions Recipe (Higado Encebollado)
    • Pastelón en Hoja al Horno (Easy Pasteles Casserole)
    • Pasteles de Yuca en Hoja (Cassava Pockets)
    Edited: Sep 6, 2022 | Publish: Jan 2, 2015

    ¡Hola! I am Tía Clara, your host. Thanks for visiting.
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