Pollo Guisado

Name: Pollo Guisado
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Dominican
Ingredients: 1.5kg chicken pieces, bone-in; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 large onion, diced; 1 green bell pepper, diced; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tbsp dried oregano; 2 tbsp white vinegar; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 10 green olives, pitted; 1 tbsp capers; 2 potatoes, cubed; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; Salt and pepper; 250ml water; 1 tbsp achiote oil

Pollo Guisado (PO-yo gee-SAH-do)

Dominican Braised Chicken

⏱ Prep Time 1 hour

📈 Difficulty Medium

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 416 kcal

Tender chicken pieces braised in a savory tomato sauce with peppers, olives, and capers, infused with oregano and the distinctive Dominican sofrito.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 36.0g

Carbs 14.0g

Fat 24.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

dairy-free gluten-free nut-free

Equipment Needed

Dutch oven or caldero wooden spoon cutting board

Presentation Guide

Vessel: serving platter

Garnishes: cilantro, olive slices

Accompaniments: white rice, habichuelas guisadas

Ingredients

1.5kg chicken pieces, bone-in
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 large onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp dried oregano
2 tbsp white vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
10 green olives, pitted
1 tbsp capers
2 potatoes, cubed
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
250ml water
1 tbsp achiote oil

Instructions

1
Season chicken with garlic, oregano, vinegar, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Marinate at least thirty minutes.
2
Heat vegetable oil and achiote oil in a caldero or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.
3
Brown chicken pieces on all sides until golden. Remove and set aside on a plate.
4
In the same pot, cook onion and bell pepper until softened. Add tomato paste and stir two minutes.
5
Return chicken to pot. Add olives, capers, potatoes, and water. Cover and simmer thirty minutes until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender.
6
Adjust seasoning and let sauce thicken slightly. Serve over white rice with a side of beans.

💡

Did You Know?

Dominican families often argue about whether to add potatoes to pollo guisado, with regional preferences varying across the island.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

Dutch oven or caldero
wooden spoon
cutting board

Garnishing

cilantro, olive slices

Accompaniments

white rice, habichuelas guisadas

The Story Behind Pollo Guisado

Pollo guisado is the everyday workhorse of Dominican cooking, the dish that feeds families on weeknights when sancocho is too ambitious. The Spanish influence is clear in the olives and capers, but the use of soy sauce reveals the Chinese immigrant influence that shaped Dominican cuisine in the nineteenth century. The distinctive orange-red color comes from achiote oil, a coloring agent derived from annatto seeds used by the indigenous Taino people.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed everyday lunch and dinner 📜 Origins: Spanish colonial adaptation

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