DOMINICAN POLLO GUISADO / STEWED CHICKEN

Dominican Pollo Guisado / Stewed Chicken image

This is my families favorite chicken I make. It is a recipe that I grew up with my mom making for our large family! It is just packed with flavors and it sticks to the true Dominican recipe that was given to my mom from a dear friend of hers from the Dominican Republic. Her friend Manolita was a GREAT cook I remember many of her...

Provided by Gina Davis

Time 30m

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

THE KEY TO THIS DISH IS MAKING SURE YOU LET IT MARINADE LONG ENOUGH! :)
1 3-4 pound whole chicken cut into pieces
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice (roughly 2 limes squeezed)
1 fresh whole lime (to squeeze over dish before serving)
1 yellow bell pepper
1 cubanelle pepper
you can use 2 green peppers in place of the peppers listed above
1 large onion (i use white sweet onion) use what you like
2 small tomatoes chopped (i use roma) or 1 can diced tomatoes
1/4 c olives pitted (i use whole spanish but you can use sliced)
2 stalk(s) fresh cilantro with leaves
3 clove garlic minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp tomato paste (if you don't use canned tomatoes)
3 Tbsp goya brand original adobo seasoning (or what you use)
4 Tbsp oil
1-2 Tbsp sugar

Steps:

1. Cut chicken up leaving skin on and bone in. Wash and clean each piece well. If you prefer you can remove the bones from the breast and thighs but leave the skin on. You can use boneless skinless breast if like but the flavor will not be as strong.
2. Rub the chicken with the lime juice.
3. Add chicken to a large bowl and add peppers, tomatoes, onions and season with oregano, garlic and a pinch of salt. Liberally sprinkle with the adobo. Marinade for at least an hour or up to 3 days in the fridge depending on how fresh your chicken is. I leave mine over night.
4. When finished marinading in a large pot heat the oil over medium-high heat, sprinkle in the sugar and let it brown,(the sugar is to caramelize the chicken skin) then put the chicken in the pot and brown dark on both sides. Make sure to set the vegetables and liquid aside to use later. Saute until the chicken has a nice dark caramel color to it. Add 2 tbsp of water, cover and simmer over medium heat until the chicken looks is tender adjusting water when necessary, add everything else EXCEPT tomato paste including vegetables and marinade cover again and simmer adding more water if you need it to maintain about 1 to 1 1/2 inches of liquid.
5. When the veggies are soft mix 1/2 cup water and tomato paste together and pour into pot. Stir slightly around the chicken pieces taste and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Add 2 cilantro stalks with leaves, leave them whole just lay them in the sauce on top. Squeeze one lime over everything and cover pot. Reduce heat to low and simmer until a thin sauce is made about 30 minutes.
6. I serve this the way my mom does. Over yellow rice topped with black beans and then chicken on top covered with the cooked veggies and sauce DELICIOUS!!! Ohhhh and the sauce makes the best bread dipping sauce!