Pollo Guisado (Puerto-Rican Chicken Stew)
On March 05, 2025
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Tender chicken, savory veggies, and a rich, smooth, slightly-peppery seasoning, this Pollo Guisado stew is a Puerto-Rican-inspired classic.
Pollo Guisado (Puerto-Rican Chicken Stew)
If you’re looking for a comforting, flavor-packed meal that comes together in one pot, you want myPollo Guisado. This backyard twist on a Puerto Rican stewed chicken dish is loaded with tender, fall-off-the-bone chicken, hearty potatoes and carrots, and a rich, savory broth seasoned with homemade Sazón. The combination of aromatic spices, tangy olives, and slow-simmered goodness makes this a dish your family will demand again and again.
Serve this Pollo Guisado with some white rice for a cozy, satisfying meal perfect for any night of the week, from casual family dinners to special occasions.
What is Pollo Guisado?
Pollo Guisado, or “stewed chicken,” is a famous Puerto Rican comfort food. With a deep, tomato-based broth, vibrant Sazón seasoning, and briny Spanish olives, it’s a unique flavor experience you won’t find anywhere else. This dish is slow-simmered, allowing all the bold flavors to meld together, resulting in a rich, comforting stew.
This dish is commonly served with white rice, so it can soak up the delicious broth. It’s a go-to meal for family gatherings, Sunday dinners, or any time you need a bowl of homemade comfort.
The Best Chicken for Guisado
For the best flavor and texture, bone-in, skin-on chicken is the way to go. Thighs and drumsticks are ideal for Pollo Guisado, as the bones add a depth of flavor to the broth and keep the meat juicy and tender. You can use chicken breasts, but they won’t have the same fall-off-the-bone appeal that makes this dish so satisfying.
Ingredients for this Recipe
This recipe for Pollo Guisado may seem intimidating from the list of ingredients, but each one plays a crucial role in the savory depths of flavor. Here’s everything you’ll need so you’re prepared when you start cooking:
- 3 pounds skin-on, bone-in chicken (I useddrumsticks and chicken thighs)
- 1 Tablespoon Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- avocado oil
- 1 yellow onion (large diced)
- 4 carrots (peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ cup Spanish olives (Manzanilla, pitted)
- 3 tomatoes, (Roma, cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons sazon seasoning
- fresh cilantro leaves (as garnish)
Homemade Sazón Seasoning
Sazón is the key to the vibrant color and bold flavor of Pollo Guisado. Making your own at home ensures you get the best blend of spices while knowing exactly what your family consumes. Here’s what’s in my version if you want to make your own:
- 2 Tablespoons fine sea salt
- 2 Tablespoons ground annatto seed (for that signature golden color!)
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
If you want to amp up the flavor, try adding adobo seasoning for an extra kick of garlicky, peppery goodness.
How to Make Pollo Guisado
Now that you’re an asado expert, it’s time for you to bring all those flavors together in one pot. Here’s how to make this hearty, comforting stew:
- Sear the chicken for maximum flavor. Start by seasoning the chicken with salt and pepper, then brown it in a hot Dutch oven pot with a drizzle of olive oil. Let the skin crisp up and develop that deep golden color. It’s the foundation of your stew’s rich taste.
- Build the flavor base. Remove the chicken and sauté the onions and carrots, stirring in the sazón. As the veggies soften, they soak up all those aromatic spices, creating a deeply flavorful base for your broth.
- Deglaze and add the good stuff. Pour in the chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the tomato paste, potatoes, and bay leaves, then nestle the chicken back in to slowly simmer.
- Roast to perfection. Transfer the pot to the oven and let it work its magic. In about an hour, the chicken will be fall-off-the-bone tender, and the potatoes will be rich with the flavors of the stew.
- Finish strong. Toss in the diced tomatoes and Spanish olives, then let the stew simmer uncovered for a bit longer. This final step brings brightness, acidity, and the perfect briny bite to balance the richness of the dish.
- Serve and savor. Ladle the Pollo Guisado over a generous serving of white rice, letting the broth soak into every bite. Get ready for pure comfort in a bowl.
Serving Suggestions
Pollo Guisado is a perfect centerpiece for a comforting, homestyle meal. We love serving ours with a scoop of white rice, or on a bed of it. You also can’t go wrong with some homemade rolls or cornbread to soak up the rich broth. Whether you’re making it for a cozy family dinner or a weekend gathering, this stew doesn’t need any help to impress.
Storage and Reheating
Make a double batch of this Pollo Guisado if you want any for later, because it won’t last long. If you manage to hang onto any savory stew, it tastes even better the next day. Store your leftover guisado a gallon zip-top bag or other airtight container, then place in the fridge. Your stew will stay good for up to 4 days when stored this way.
When you’re ready to reheat your Pollo Guisado, warm it on the stovetop over medium heat. You can add a splash of chicken broth if needed to loosen up the sauce. Avoid the microwave if you can. This stew deserves a proper reheating, after all.
Tips for the Best Pollo Guisado
This savory, comforting dish is super easy to make, but here are some pro tips to take your guisado over the top:
- Use a good pot. You want to use a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven pot so everything cooks evenly as it develops those deep flavors.
- Select quality chicken. Tender, fall-off-the-bone chicken is the star of the show, so you want to start with a quality cut with a fresh, pink hue for the best results.
- Don’t skip the olives. Even if you’re not an olive lover, I highly recommend adding the olives for that key briny bite that balances the richness of the stew. Plus, if a picker eater doesn’t love olives, they can’t be picked out easily.
More Stew and Soup Recipes
If you love this Pollo Guisado, check out my other one-pot wonders. I’ve got hundreds of recipes waiting so you can making something comforting to feed the people you love. You can find them all in the Hey Grill Hey App, but for now, check out some of my family’s favorites:
One-Pot Pollo Guisado Recipe
Pollo Guisado is the kind of meal that brings people together, and that doesn’t have to stop at the dinner table. Snap some photos of your slow-simmered masterpiece so you can share a little bit of your backyard with the whole grilling community on Instagram and Facebook by tagging @heygrillhey.
Pollo Guisado (Caribbean Chicken Stew)
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken drumsticks and chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
- 1 Tablespoon Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- avocado oil
- 1 yellow onion large diced
- 4 carrots peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes cut into 1-inch pieces
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ cup Manzanilla olives Spanish olives, pitted
- 3 tomatoes Roma, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 Tablespoons Sazon Seasoning
- fresh cilantro leaves as garnish
- rice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prepare your ingredients. Pat the chicken dry and then add salt and pepper. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Add the avocado oil to a wide, deep pot (like a cast iron pot) on your stovetop. While the oil is heating, slice your potatoes, carrots, and tomatoes.3 pounds chicken drumsticks and chicken thighs, 1 Tablespoon Kosher salt, 2 teaspoons black pepper, avocado oil
- Brown the chicken. Put the chicken in the oil and brown for 5-7 minutes per side. Transfer the browned chicken to a plate while you prepare the rest of the broth.
- Add the onions, carrots, and seasoning. Add your seasoning to the oil, as well as the prepared onions and carrots. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the onions become translucent and the carrots soften slightly. Stir Remove to plate, add onions, carrots, and seasoning, cook 2-3 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock and whisk vigorously, scraping any browned pits off the bottom of the pot.1 yellow onion, 4 carrots, 6 cups chicken stock, 2 Tablespoons Sazon Seasoning
- Add potatoes and roast. Add in the tomato paste, potatoes, and bay leaves, and return your chicken to the pot. Put the lid on and place the pot in the oven for 45-60 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of around 175 degrees F.3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, 2 Tablespoons tomato paste, 2 bay leaves
- Add the remaining ingredients and finish cooking. Remove the lid from the pot and add the olives and tomatoes. Continue cooking in your oven with the lidd off until your chicken reaches an internal temperature of around 200 degrees F. You want the meat to be fall-off-the-bone tender so it serves up easily.¼ cup Manzanilla olives, 3 tomatoes
- Season, serve, and enjoy. Remove your pot from the oven and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve your Pollo Guisado with a fresh cilantro and a side of rice, or right on top of a bed of rice.fresh cilantro leaves
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
