Asopao de Pollo (Puerto Rican Chicken Stew)

One-dish meals can be made quickly and deliciously with the Puerto Rican “asopao” dish, which is a hybrid of soup and stew.

Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
Servings: 12
Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

  1. 5 ½ cups chicken stock, divided
  2. 1 lime, juiced
  3. 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
  4. 1 mini sweet pepper, chopped
  5. 1 jalapeno, chopped
  6. 3 cloves garlic, minced
  7. 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  8. 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  9. 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  10. 10 annatto seeds, or more to taste
  11. 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped
  12. 2 bay leaves
  13. 2 cups medium-grain rice
  14. 1 cup diced tomato
  15. 1 cup frozen green peas
  16. 1 onion, chopped
  17. ½ cup pitted green olives
  18. ¼ cup capers
  19. 2 tablespoons adobo seasoning
  20. ¼ teaspoon salt
  21. ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Blend 1 cup chicken stock with lime juice, bell pepper, sweet pepper, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, and oregano to make the sofrito.
  2. Combine olive oil and annatto seeds in a large skillet over medium heat. Heat until seeds start to open up and oil turns a yellow-orange color, 3 to 4 minutes. Add enough chicken to cover the pan in a single layer without overcrowding. Cook, turning halfway, until juices run clear, 7 to 10 minutes.
  3. Combine remaining chicken stock, 1/2 of the sofrito, and bay leaves in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Stir in rice, tomato, green peas, onion, green olives, capers, adobo seasoning, salt, and pepper.
  4. Add the cooked chicken to the broth. Saute remaining chicken in the annatto oil before adding to the pot. Reduce heat to low and simmer until rice is tender, about 20 minutes more.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 299 kcal
Carbohydrate 31 g
Cholesterol 59 mg
Dietary Fiber 2 g
Protein 26 g
Saturated Fat 1 g
Sodium 684 mg
Sugars 2 g
Fat 7 g
Unsaturated Fat 0 g

 

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