Pollo Guisado (Dominican Stewed Chicken)
Tender Dominican braised chicken simmered with sazón, sofrito, peppers, and onions in a light, savory sauce—comforting, weeknight-friendly, and deeply authentic.
Servings: 4
Calories: 425kcal
Ingredients
- 2 pounds 900 g chicken legs and thighs, bone-in, skin-on or off
- ¾ teaspoon 4 ml adobo seasoning
- ½ teaspoon 2.5 ml ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon 5 ml dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon 5 g sazón with achiote
- 1 tablespoon 15 ml freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 tablespoons 30 ml sofrito
- 2 tablespoons 30 ml vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon 5 ml brown sugar
- 1 cup 240 ml water, divided
- 1 small red onion ~100 g, thinly sliced
- ½ green bell pepper ~75 g, thinly sliced
- ½ red bell pepper ~75 g, thinly sliced
- ½ cup 120 ml tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon ~4 g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine chicken with adobo, black pepper, oregano, sazón, lime juice, and sofrito. Toss to coat; let sit while you heat the pan.
- Heat oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle in brown sugar and let it melt and turn amber. Carefully add chicken; sear until lightly browned, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add ¼ cup (60 ml) water, cover, and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding small splashes of water as needed.
- Stir in onion and peppers; cover and cook until slightly softened.
- Add tomato sauce and the remaining water. Reduce heat to low and simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce lightly thickens, about 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro; adjust salt to taste.
Notes
- Prefer a thicker sauce? Simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes at the end.
- Spice level is flexible—add a pinch of crushed red pepper or a sliced ají picante for heat.
- Serve with White Rice (Arroz Blanco), Dominican Beans, or Moro de Habichuelas; add Tostones for crunch.
Nutrition
Calories: 425kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 619mg | Potassium: 503mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 888IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 2mg