Food is so essential to our experiences and memories, it could be a sixth love language.
Pollo Guisado - Puerto Rican Style Chicken Stew
A traditional Puerto Rican Style Chicken Stew packed with so many authentic flavors.This dish is a testament to the age-old fact that poor people's food is often the best food. It’s a simple stew with a savory, deep flavor that keeps you coming back for seconds and thirds!
1/4 cups cilantro, chopped; save 2 tbs for garnish
1 tsp olive oil
8 oz tomato sauce
1 tsp sazon
1/2 cups green olives, pitted plus 2 tbs of brine
1/2 tsp cumin
2 whole bay leaves
Salt to taste
black pepper, to taste
Directions
Trim and remove skin from chicken thighs.
Chop scallions and mince garlic.
Season chicken with adobo seasoning salt. Add olive oil to a large deep skillet, pot, or Dutch oven, and brown chicken on both sides.
Remove from pan.
Add scallions, garlic, 1/4 cup of cilantro and cook until soft, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add tomato sauce, *Sazon, 1 cup water, olives, olive brine, cumin, and stir. Add the bay leaves then return chicken thighs to pot.
Cover and cook for ~20 minutes over medium-low heat, adding more water if needed, until the chicken is tender and reaches internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Uncover the pot, increase the heat to high and cook to thicken the sauce, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaves, season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro.
Recipe Note
Sazon is a popular Puerto Rican spice that can be found in many Hispanic markets as well sa Wegmans and Amazon.
It adds incredible flavor to any dish. Traditional Sazon is a blend of coriander, cumin, achiote, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper. It adds incredible flavor to any dish.
