Pollo Guisado with Brown Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups Carolina® Brown Rice
- 3 lb bone-in chicken thighs or legs
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 white onion, chopped
- 1/3 cup pimento olives
- 1/3 cup sofrito cooking base
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 packets Sazon seasoning
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
Enjoy delicious and comforting tastes with this warm chicken and rice stew recipe. With an array of flavors from a sofrito, sazon seasoning and vegetables served alongside nutty Carolina® Brown Rice, you’ll be feeling full and satisfied with every spoonful.
Step 1
Cook rice according to package directions.
Step 2
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large saucepan or Dutch oven set over medium heat; cook chicken for 5 to 7 minutes per side or until browned.
Step 3
Add 2 1/2 cups water, carrots, potatoes, onion, olives, sofrito, tomato paste, Sazon, bouillon cube, oregano and bay leaves to saucepan; bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer; cover and cook for 40 to 50 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and stew is slightly thickened.
Step 4
In small bowl, whisk together cornstarch with 4 tsp water until completely combined. Stir into stew; simmer for about 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove and discard bay leaves.
Step 5
Garnish with cilantro. Serve with brown rice.
Flavor Tip
Serve accompanied with tostones (fried plantains) and avocado if desired.
Recipe Video
Flavorful Chicken Stew
Pollo Guisado, Spanish for stewed chicken, is a popular traditional dish throughout Latin America loaded with all kinds of delicious seasonings, vegetables and other wholesome ingredients. Starting with juicy bone-in chicken thighs, this stew begins with a wonderful base of flavor.
The Key to Flavor
Our secret to incredible taste in this recipe is a combination of olives, sofrito and Sazon seasoning! If you haven’t already tried it, using a sofrito in recipes can be a true game-changer for flavor, explore our different sofrito varieties for delicious recipes.
Next, Sazon seasoning is key. It is a balanced blend of spices that complements the flavors in many Latin American dishes and gives them that golden hue. Along with salt and pepper, Sazon contains achiote, cumin, onion, and garlic, coriander, and oregano. The achiote is sweet and adds color; cumin, onion, and garlic produce an umami flavor; coriander brings out citrus notes, and oregano not only adds earthy flavors but adds depth and complexity.
The flavors are further simmered with potatoes and served whole grain Carolina® Brown Rice, allowing you to enjoy the rich and bold tastes in every spoonful. Following our recipe and video, this meal is simple to make can be enjoyed in large quantities, so there will be enough food to go around the entire table at any family gathering.
Latin American Stews
While not all may contain chicken, there are many incredible stew recipes to enjoy with all kinds of Latin American flavors. Try a dish of Birria Con Arroz, which is a hearty beef stew with adobo seasoning and ancho chili peppers served over tomato-infused rice also including sazon seasoning. Or, travel to South America for this Peruvian Lamb Stew with Rice, or seco de cordero.
Follow up this or any other Latin-inspired dish with a classic recipe for rice pudding, or arroz con leche.
