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Latin Braised Chicken (Pollo Guisado)

April 4, 2014 By Tekesha 39 Comments

Latin Braised Chicken (Pollo Guisado)

I spent most of my childhood in Miami, Florida. Because of my time in Miami, cooking Latin food makes me feel all warm and fuzzy and reminds me of my youth.

In elementary school, all of us girls were obsessed with “the bar” – a long, u-shaped bar on the playground. We would sit on top of it, grip the bar with our hands behind us, and swing forward. We would dangle there, upside down, talking about our days and what new slap bracelets were out.

Latin Braised Chicken (Pollo Guisado)

One time, a friend and I rushed out to the bar and as we sat on top, we had the bright idea that instead of placing our hands behind us to grip the bar, we would place them next to us, facing forward. This, we thought, would be a truly athletic move. If we swung ourselves fast enough, the momentum would keep us from falling off the bar and we would have perfected a special, secret move no one else could do. The more we talked, the better the idea sounded, and at last we were ready to give it a try.

We sat there, side by side, hands at our sides, and on the count of three we launched ourselves forward with all of our might. Immediately, we face-planted onto the ground. Naturally, the placement of hands did nothing to keep us secure to the bar. If anyone was watching us, they would’ve thought two dim-witted girls climbed onto some playground equipment, made the world’s most ridiculous suicide pact, and then launched themselves with great force straight into the ground. What a ridiculous idea! With dirt all over our faces and sore noses, we picked ourselves up, dusted ourselves off, and climbed on top of the bar the usual way and never spoke of our experiment. Ahhh, youth.

This recipe is far from the disaster my bar experiment was! It reminds me of going to my friends’ houses and watching Sabado Gigante, of seeing whole pigs roasted in a backyard, and of eating 12 grapes on New Year’s Eve. It’s one of those recipes that makes me want to turn up the music and dance around the kitchen as I cook.

It’s actually a Dominican recipe (Dominican Flavor’s Pollo Guisado, pronounced poy-yo gwee-SAH-doh) with my own Cuban twist.

The olives, capers, and citrus give the sauce a nice tang. If you like anything with a slightly pickled flavor (like Brats with Sauerkraut, Jamaican Escovitch Fish or Fillipino Chicken Adobo), you will love this dish. The flavors remind me of Miami and put a smile on my face.

You’ll need:

  • 1 whole Chicken, cut into pieces
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1 tbsp Cumin
  • 1 tbsp Oregano
  • 1/4 cup of Olive Oil (for marinade)
  • 1 tsp Turmeric
  • 1 cup Sliced Green Olives and Pimientos
  • 1/4 cup Capers
  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 5 cloves of Garlic, minced
  • Juice of 1 Orange
  • Juice of 1 Lemon
  • Juice of 1 Lime
  • 1 Onion, chopped
  • 1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 bunch of Cilantro, minced
  • 1/4 cup of Olive Oil (for cooking)
  • 1 tbsp Sugar
  • 1 8-oz can of Tomato Sauce
  • 1 cup of Water (you can fill the can of tomato sauce with water as 8 oz is 1 cup)

Get a really big bowl and toss your chicken into it.

Latin Braised Chicken (Pollo Guisado)

Add a big pinch of salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano (about a tablespoon of each).

Latin Braised Chicken (Pollo Guisado)

Add a 1/4 cup of olive oil and turmeric.

Latin Braised Chicken (Pollo Guisado)

Rub the chicken all over. This step gives the chicken a deep yellow color. We eat with our eyes, too!

Latin Braised Chicken (Pollo Guisado)

Add the olives and pimiento, capers, and Worcestershire sauce to the bowl.

Latin Braised Chicken (Pollo Guisado)

Prepare your garlic, orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, onion, green bell pepper, and cilantro….

Latin Braised Chicken (Pollo Guisado)

and add them to the bowl.

Latin Braised Chicken (Pollo Guisado)

Give everything a good squish with your hands and leave this to marinate for anywhere between 15 minutes to 24 hours (beyond 24 hours, the lime juice will start to break down the chicken and change it’s texture).

Latin Braised Chicken (Pollo Guisado)

Add a little olive oil to a large pot on medium high heat.

Latin Braised Chicken (Pollo Guisado)

Sprinkle in the sugar.

Latin Braised Chicken (Pollo Guisado)

Use a wooden spoon or swirl the pan around to make sure the sugar and the oil are well-mixed.

Latin Braised Chicken (Pollo Guisado)

Let the sugar mixture slightly caramelize (turn light brown) and start to bead. This step will give the chicken a slightly sweet crust. You won’t be able to taste the sugar in the finished dish, but your guests will wonder why the skin tastes so good. It’s such a simple step, but it creates such a depth of flavor.

Latin Braised Chicken (Pollo Guisado)

Fish the chicken out of the bowl and place it into the pot, skin-side down. (Don’t throw away the marinade and all the onions, peppers, etc! Set it aside for now.)

Latin Braised Chicken (Pollo Guisado)

Don’t touch the chicken for 4 minutes. This will ensure the chicken gets a nice sear.

Drop the heat down to medium. Flip the chicken over, cover the pot and let it cook for about 10 minutes.

Latin Braised Chicken (Pollo Guisado)

Remove the cover and dump all the yummy marinade contents…..

Latin Braised Chicken (Pollo Guisado)

…and the tomato sauce into the pot, along with 1 cup of water. You can use the same can the tomato sauce was in since 8 ounces equals 1 cup. If you have picky eaters who will not go near chunks of green peppers and onions and olives, toss the marinade in a blender with the tomato sauce and water until smooth and add that to the pot.

Latin Braised Chicken (Pollo Guisado)

Give it a good stir, cover and cook for another 30 minutes.

Latin Braised Chicken (Pollo Guisado)

Latin Braised Chicken (Pollo Guisado)

5.0 from 7 reviews
Latin Braised Chicken (Pollo Guisado)
 
Print
Prep time
10 mins
Cook time
45 mins
Total time
55 mins
 
Latin fusion braised chicken with blend of citrus juices, olives, pimientos, capers, peppers, onions and savory tomato sauce
Author: Tekesha @ EatMoreFoodProject
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 whole Chicken, cut into pieces
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1 tbsp Cumin
  • 1 tbsp Oregano
  • ¼ cup of Olive Oil (for marinade)
  • 1 tsp Turmeric
  • 1 cup Sliced Green Olives and Pimientos
  • ¼ cup Capers
  • ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 5 cloves of Garlic, minced
  • Juice of 1 Orange
  • Juice of 1 Lemon
  • Juice of 1 Lime
  • 1 Onion, chopped
  • 1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
  • ½ bunch of Cilantro, minced
  • ¼ cup of Olive Oil (for cooking)
  • 1 tbsp Sugar
  • 1 8-oz can of Tomato Sauce
  • 1 cup of Water (you can fill the can of tomato sauce with water as 8 oz is 1 cup)
Instructions
  1. Get a really big bowl toss your chicken into it.
  2. Add a big pinch of salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano (about a tablespoon of each).
  3. Add a ¼ cup of olive oil and turmeric and rub the chicken all over.
  4. Add the olives and pimiento, capers, and Worcestershire sauce to the bowl.
  5. Then add your garlic, orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, onion, green bell pepper, and cilantro to the bowl.
  6. Give everything a good squish with your hands and leave this to marinate for anywhere between 15 minutes to 24 hours (beyond 24 hours, the lime juice will start to break down the chicken and change it's texture).
  7. Add a ¼ cup olive oil to a large pot on medium high heat.
  8. Sprinkle in 1 tbsp of sugar.
  9. Use a wooden spoon or swirl the pan around to make sure the sugar and the oil are well-mixed.
  10. Let the sugar mixture slightly caramelize (turn light brown) and start to bead.
  11. Fish the chicken out of the bowl and place it into the pot, skin-side down (don't throw away the marinade and all the onions, peppers, etc! Set it aside for now).
  12. Don't touch the chicken for 4 minutes. This will ensure the chicken gets a nice sear.
  13. Drop the heat down to medium.
  14. Flip the chicken over, cover the pot and let it cook for about 10 minutes.
  15. Remove the cover and dump all the yummy marinade contents and the tomato sauce into the pot, along with 1 cup of water. You can use the same can the tomato sauce was in since 8 ounces equals 1 cup. NOTE: If you have picky eaters who will not go near chunks of green peppers and onions and olives, toss the marinade in a blender with the tomato sauce and water until smooth and add that to the pot.
  16. Give it a good stir, cover and cook for another 30 minutes.
  17. Serve.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 670 Fat: 58 Carbohydrates: 21 Sugar: 11 Sodium: 3274 Protein: 33
3.2.1284

ย 

Filed Under: Chicken & Turkey

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Comments

  1. dianne morin says

    April 5, 2014 at 3:07 PM

    That looks yummy. I love the pictures and step by step instructions.

    Reply
    • Tekesha says

      April 5, 2014 at 3:50 PM

      Thanks!! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
    • Monique says

      October 8, 2019 at 6:17 PM

      This dish looks yummy so I desided to make it for my family today it’s on the stove top right at this every minute cant wait to eat it so far it’s going good

      Reply
      • Tekesha says

        October 10, 2019 at 8:10 AM

        Hi Monique! I love hearing that people are making this dish! I hope you and your family enjoyed it! ๐Ÿ˜€

        Reply
  2. Rupert and Delrose Brown says

    April 5, 2014 at 3:18 PM

    What a beautiful picture of the finished product! How I wish it was shown on my face book posting. This recipe came at the right time. I will prepare it for your Dad’s birthday social on May 1st. Tekesha, how utterly delighted I am to read your enchanting stories that accompany your recipes, I can’t decide which I like best. Both are sensational and I read them with great pride.Thanks for sharing your brilliant writing and cooking skills!

    Reply
    • Tekesha says

      April 5, 2014 at 3:53 PM

      Thanks, Mom! I will have to spend some time trying to figure out how to select which photo gets put on the Facebook page.

      Reply
  3. Michelle Burgess says

    May 3, 2014 at 8:29 PM

    Hey Sis
    This is my first time checking out your blog. This recipe look so good. Think I’m going to try it and let you know how it come out. So proud of you.
    Michelle

    Reply
    • Tekesha says

      May 4, 2014 at 10:23 AM

      Thank you! Yes, PLEASE try this chicken! Dianne and Kyle have already made it and it is so good ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  4. Charlene @ That Girl Cooks Healthy says

    May 2, 2015 at 11:08 AM

    OMG! I’m looking at all of the ingredients and nodding my head right now. YES, YES this is a must try, thanks for sharing Tekesha.

    Reply
    • Tekesha says

      May 2, 2015 at 12:32 PM

      Yes Charlene, you must!! You will not be disappointed! ๐Ÿ˜€

      Reply
  5. Stephanie says

    August 30, 2015 at 6:04 PM

    Would you recommend serving this with rice?
    I feel like it needs some kind of starch.

    Reply
    • Tekesha says

      August 31, 2015 at 5:01 AM

      Hi Stephanie! You can absolutely serve this with rice! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  6. Vero says

    September 23, 2015 at 9:49 PM

    I had to come here and comment on this recipe. Made it for dinner today. As it’s cooking, you already know it’s gonna be great just by the smell. Pure torture. This is by far one of the tastiest recipes I’ve ever made. Not too difficult to follow either. I did add a bit more onions and peppers but just personal choice. Only substitution I made was that I had no turmeric and saw it was needed to give the chicken that beautiful yellow color and some flavor so I used Chef Merito Chicken Seasoning. Also gives that yellow appearance and great taste. Out of this world finger lickin goodness!!! How many stars is the max? That’s what I give this bad baby.

    Reply
    • Tekesha says

      September 24, 2015 at 10:32 AM

      Thank you so much Vero for coming back to leave a comment! I’m so happy you enjoyed it. I think this one is probably my favorite recipe on the blog. As soon as I smell it on the stove, I can’t help but start smiling in anticipation. Ha ha ha! Thanks again ๐Ÿ˜€

      Reply
  7. Beau says

    February 20, 2016 at 8:20 PM

    This is seriously EXCELLENT and ORIGINAL. I have made it twice to rave reviews. And to heck with anyone who does not like onions or green peppers.

    Reply
    • Tekesha says

      February 20, 2016 at 8:24 PM

      Ha ha ha! Thank you so much, Beau! Glad you enjoyed it ๐Ÿ˜€

      Reply
  8. Beau says

    February 20, 2016 at 8:23 PM

    Sorry. I forgot the most important part: my rating.

    This is seriously EXCELLENT and ORIGINAL. I have made it twice to rave reviews. And to heck with anyone who does not like green pepper or onions.

    Reply
  9. Jomayra says

    March 1, 2016 at 11:06 PM

    Just made it my man just fell in love with me all over again lol thank you so much ! โค๏ธ

    Reply
    • Tekesha says

      March 2, 2016 at 5:54 AM

      LOL! I’m not surprised, Jomayra! Thanks for your lovely comment ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  10. Stephanie Smith says

    February 22, 2017 at 4:30 PM

    Love the updated pictures!
    I’ve made this several times and plan to link to it on my blog soon!

    Reply
    • Tekesha says

      February 22, 2017 at 4:44 PM

      Thanks, Stephanie! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
      • coco says

        February 28, 2017 at 2:31 AM

        Found your recipe on Pinterest and will try it! Looks soooo yummy!

        Reply
        • Tekesha says

          February 28, 2017 at 3:21 AM

          Thank you, Coco! ๐Ÿ™‚

          Reply
  11. Ann says

    December 22, 2017 at 6:10 PM

    Trying this tonight, can I use all dark meat or thigh instead of whole chicken?

    Reply
    • Tekesha says

      December 23, 2017 at 6:02 AM

      Absolutely, Ann! Hope you enjoyed it! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  12. Catalina says

    January 18, 2018 at 3:02 PM

    This is by far the most delicious recipe for chicken Iโ€™ve found. A dish that is packed with flavor that makes you want to dance! I served it with Spanish yellow rice. This will be my go to chicken recipe. Thanks!!!

    Reply
    • Tekesha says

      January 18, 2018 at 3:56 PM

      Thank you so much, Catalina!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  13. https://www.facebook.com/phongkhamdakhoaquocte221/ says

    May 28, 2018 at 3:48 PM

    After I originally left a comment I seem to have
    clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added-
    checkbox and now whenever a comment is added
    I recieve four emails with the exact same comment.

    Is there a means you can remove me from that service? Thank
    you!

    Reply
    • Tekesha says

      May 28, 2018 at 6:04 PM

      Good Evening!

      The blog is set up to notify users when an I respond to a comment someone has left and forward that response via email. I haven’t set it up so that users are notified whenever anyone comments on a thread they have commented on. Myabe this is something you need to fix in your wordpress settings if you are commenting via a wordpress account? What is the entitty in the “From” field when you get these emails? That might help me track down where the emails are coming from and if there is anything I can do on my end.

      Reply
  14. Ana says

    September 11, 2018 at 6:34 PM

    This recipe was DIVINE!!!! What more can I say. Just heaven on a plate. My family loved it. I especially loved the pictures. And the instructions were very easy to follow. Thank you -Thank you -Thank you!!!!

    Reply
    • Tekesha says

      September 11, 2018 at 6:40 PM

      Wow, Ana! So happy you enjoyed it and thank you for the lovely compliments!!! ๐Ÿ˜€

      Reply
  15. Chantalina says

    March 28, 2021 at 12:34 AM

    This is seriously the best meal ever. I make it all the time with some minor tweaks but it’s become my new comfort food meal. Yummy!!

    Reply
    • Tekesha says

      March 28, 2021 at 1:20 AM

      I’m so glad you are enjoying this, Chantalina! ๐Ÿ˜€

      Reply
  16. Kathy Strickland says

    June 21, 2021 at 10:56 AM

    This is so delicious that you end up licking the bowl. I made this ahead of time to have when friends arrived in Costa Rica. My friend Mary doesn’t care that much for food in general but she raved about this. It was even better the next day as leftovers. I had to search to re-locate this recipe. It is honestly one of the best, tastiest things you will ever make!

    Reply
    • Tekesha says

      June 21, 2021 at 11:14 AM

      Oh Kathy!! Glad you and your guests loved this. I feel the same way, ha ha! ๐Ÿ˜€

      Reply
  17. Stephanie Lynn Smith says

    September 4, 2021 at 7:14 PM

    This is delicious! I absolutely loved it and so did my family!

    Reply
    • Tekesha says

      September 5, 2021 at 10:26 AM

      I’m so glad, Stephanie! It’s one of my favorite recipes ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Home Cookin’ !!! Dominican Cuisine in a Tropical “Concrete Jungle”- The Gaia Health Blog says:
    September 19, 2014 at 4:34 PM

    […] pollo guisado recipe and photo credits to the eatmoreFoodProject website […]

    Reply
  2. Around the World in 8 Dinners: Dominican Republic | Read. Cook. Devour. says:
    March 8, 2017 at 12:31 PM

    […] You have to try this Dominican inspired Pollo Guisado (Latin Braised Chicken) from the Eat More Food Project. […]

    Reply

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About Me

Hi, I'm Tekesha! I started this blog to chronicle my attempts to eat more "real" food -- the kind of items generally found in the perimeter of the supermarket. I take step-by-step photos of all the recipes on the blog, many of which are low in sugar.

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