Pollo guisado, a staple in the Caribbean and Dominican Republic, is all about simple, comforting flavors that hit just right. Everyone makes theirs a little different but in the end it’s all about taste! Mine is made with just a handful of ingredients but packs tons of sabor.
Pollo guisado is a key component of La Bandera, a Dominican dish made up of white rice, beans, and chicken or meat. It holds a special place in my heart as one of the first Dominican recipes I learned to make when I moved out on my own.
But perfecting the sauce was always a challenge—getting that balance between too watery and just right, because everyone knows the secret is in that jugito! Let me guide you to getting it perfect on your first try!
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What you’ll need to make pollo guisado
- Skinless bone-in chicken. Chicken thighs, drumsticks, or wings.
- Garlic. Use a mortar and pestle to crush the garlic and release those flavors.
- Oregano. If you can get your hands on Dominican oregano then use it in this recipe!
- Sofrito. Super necessary for making authentic pollo guisado.
- Garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper.
- Oil. Any neutral oil you have on hand.
- Sugar. Creates that caramelization on the chicken.
- Tomato paste. Thickens the sauce and brings some depth, color, and richness to the Dominican stewed chicken.
- Red bell pepper, cubanelle pepper, and yellow onion.
Recommended for this recipe
Caldero Pot
The caldero heats things up evenly and adds layers of flavor as you go. It’s a must have for Caribbean cooking!
Step by step instructions
- In a bowl, add the chicken, garlic, oregano, sofrito, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper.
- Heat oil in a pot over medium heat. Add sugar to the hot oil and let it caramelize.
- Add the chicken to the pot and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until fully seared. Turn the chicken pieces and continue cooking for another 4-5 minutes, or until fully seared.
- Add the remaining marinade, 2 cups hot water, and the tomato paste to the pot. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, leaving a small gap for steam to escape, and cook for 25 minutes.
- Add the red bell pepper, cubanelle pepper, yellow onion, and ½ cup hot water to the pot. Stir to combine, then cook uncovered until the vegetables are tender and the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. If the sauce begins to dry out, add ¼ cup hot water.
- Taste for salt and serve. Buen provecho!
Recipe tips and tricks
- Marinate the chicken to enhance its flavors. You can let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes while you prep the rest of your meal or overnight for best results.
- Brown the chicken well on each side before flipping and adding any other ingredients.
- If the sauce is too thin, simmer uncovered for a few minutes to help it reduce and thicken. If the sauce is too thick or dried out, add half a cup of water to thin it out to your desired consistency.
- Taste for salt at the end to avoid oversalting the dish.
Serving tips
- Serve the pollo guisado with your favorite rice dish and a side of avocado and tostones! My favorite rice combinations for Dominican stewed chicken are white rice, arroz con gandules, and moro de habichuelas negras.
Storage tips
- Store the pollo guisado in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
What can you substitute for tomato paste?
You can substitute fresh chopped tomatoes or tomato puree for tomato paste.
What if you don’t have sofrito on hand?
The dish is packed with fresh flavors from to the onions, bell peppers, and garlic, so you can simply skip it. But you may want to consider stocking up on Loisa’s organic sofrito for a convenient option for next time though!
Dominican Stewed Chicken (Pollo Guisado)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6-8 pieces bone-in chicken chicken thighs, drumsticks, or wings
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp oregano
- ¼ cup sofrito
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2-2½ cups hot water
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 cubanelle pepper sliced
- To taste salt
Instructions
- In a mortar and pestle, crush the garlic until smooth. Add the oregano and continue grinding until the mixture forms a paste.
- In a bowl, add the chicken, garlic and oregano paste, sofrito, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper..
- Heat oil in a pot over medium heat. Add sugar to the hot oil and let it caramelize.
- Add the chicken to the pot and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until fully seared. Turn the chicken pieces and continue cooking for another 4-5 minutes, or until fully seared.
- Add the remaining marinade, 2 cups hot water, and the tomato paste to the pot. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, leaving a small gap for steam to escape, and cook for 25 minutes.
- Add the red bell pepper, cubanelle pepper, yellow onion, and ½ cup hot water to the pot. Stir to combine, then cook uncovered until the vegetables are tender and the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. If the sauce begins to dry out, add ¼ cup hot water.
- Taste for salt and serve. Buen provecho!
