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Weeknight Pollo Guisado

A Latin-style stewed chicken simmered with onion, tomato, garlic and a seasoned broth, made without Maggi.
Print Recipe
Course Main Course
Cuisine Latin American
Servings 4 –6

Ingredients
  

Chicken & marinade

  • 4 chicken drumsticks, skin-on
  • 3 chicken thighs, skin-on
  • 1½ tbsp soy sauce
  • 1½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1½ tsp salt, plus more to taste at the end
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1½ tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1½ tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp pickle juice

For searing

  • 2 tbsp butter

Stew base

  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp dried oregano

Broth

  • About 2 cups chicken stock (low-sodium if you have it); start with 1½ cups, then add more as needed so the liquid almost covers the chicken

Finish

  • 2 bay leaves
  • Fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions
 

  • Season the chicken with soy sauce, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, olive oil and pickle juice. Let it sit while the pan heats.
  • Melt the butter in a shallow pan over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken on both sides until golden. Take the chicken out and set it aside.
  • In the same pan, add the onion, tomatoes and garlic. Cook until they soften, scraping up the browned bits. Stir in the tomato paste and oregano and cook until rich and concentrated.
  • Pour about 1½ cups chicken stock into the pan and stir to lift the flavor from the bottom.
  • Nestle the chicken back in and add the bay leaves. Add more stock as needed so the liquid comes almost to the top of the chicken.
  • Turn the heat down and simmer until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened.
  • Taste the sauce and add extra salt only if needed. Finish with parsley.