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April 23, 2024
ByAna Rivas

My American version of Pollo Guisado

Versatile cooking of Pollo Guisado.

What inspired me to write my version of this recipe is that every time I cook it, I change several things because I base my cooking on the things I have available, this type of versatile cooking is just being creative and having fun.

I find it easy, flavorful, healthy, fulfilling, and, best of all, everyone I know can eat it, that’s what versatile cooking is all about. I was asked on a college assignment to write a recipe for a friend who didn’t cook but had to prepare a first-time dinner for her in-laws. I thought about it.

Although steak, salmon, or other expensive proteins came to mind, I thought of the in-laws’ health, my friend’s cooking experience, and the tools she would have available in her kitchen, and I thought this was an easy enough recipe for her to follow, it has a nice presentation, it is fulfilling, and why not good for second helpings, besides, there will always be more dinners (surely…).

Guisado, to me is exciting, it means stew, and I tend to make them into ‘one-pot meals’ that include proteins (meat), carbohydrates (potatoes or rice), and vegetables simmered together in one pot. I sometimes include them all but mostly find that rice cooked separately adds texture to the dish. I think this meal qualifies as comfort food.

Stews definitely fall into the versatile cooking category, almost any combination of meat, vegetables, and spices can make great dishes. My American-style recipe on this occasion does not include vegetables, which gives it a somewhat lighter feel, but the reason was that it was meant to be a simple dinner.

For this stew, I would use aromatic Jasmine Rice, cooked in a rice cooker, for ease. I would recommend a salad to go with this dish. While dinner is cooking, wines can be selected, and after the main course, a light dessert completes the meal. In this recipe, I include substitutions if necessary or if you feel adventurous, but I hope you find this recipe easy to follow.

Equipment

You will need some basic equipment that you can purchase almost anywhere, but I have placed affiliate links if you are interested in obtaining them from Amazon, also you can find the options at the end of this post.

1 (5 to 7-quart size) non-stick stock or stew pot with a lid.

(pot image is linked to purchase from Amazon)

I recommend the 7-quart Nonstick Ceramic Coated Stovetop Pot.

The stew will be cooked in a pot with a lid.

I have also cooked this in an instant pot (pressure cooker), which requires only 15 minutes.

(ot image is linked to purchase from Amazon)

The example to the right is the Hamilton Beach Instapot with an 8-Quart capacity.

1 (6 – 8 cup) electric rice cooker.

The rice is best cooked in an automatic rice cooker.

(image is linked to purchase from Amazon)

The example on the left side is a Hamilton Beach Programmable Rice Cooker that yields 8 cups of cooked rice, it also allows for steaming vegetables or dumplings with a rinse basket.

To care for your non-stick pots, consider getting wooden or silicone heat-resistant (up to 450 degrees) cooking spoons.
(images are linked to purchase from Amazon)

The sample on the right is a set of 6 bamboo spoons (shown only 3 here).

The sample of the silicone heat-resistant spoons is a set that contains 15 pieces that you will find very useful (4 shown in this sample only).

If you are like my friend, and don’t cook often, measuring spoons, cups, and small spatulas to pour out of the small containers are a must.

My recommended choices include:

Optional

For cutting vegetables, a cutting board and knife. It is recommended to have a wood cutting board, especially walnut so that your knives won’t grow dull.

(image is linked to purchase from Amazon)

So, if you choose to use fresh onions, tomatoes, garlic, or add carrots and celery, you should invest in a set of good knives and a beautiful cutting board that will make your kitchen look amazing.

I have seen knives being bought and reviewed by thousands of buyers, but I bought a set of Henckels knives 30-plus years ago, and they’re still my favorite.

Another option is a garlic press. The sets being sold now have an easy-to-remove skin tool that makes it even easier to clean the garlic and pop it into the press for a truly delightful taste in your meals. You don’t have to discard the remnants of the garlic; you can toss them on your cutting board and chop them finely to add to your recipes.

(image is linked to purchase from Amazon)

Kitchen mitts and pot holders. A kitchen is not complete without a pair of mitts, pot holders, or thick cotton towels, all of which can be used to grab hot pots and pans. I like the mittens for the oven and prefer the mini oven mitts version of pot holders for the pots on the stove, they are less bulky, comfortable, quick to grab, and easy to wear for a short time while moving a pot or draining hot water from it.

Silicone tongs are a must if you have any nonstick pans. Most of the time they come in the sets of silicone cooking utensils, but you can venture and buy more separately. I think I have about 5 sets, they all get used all the time.

The Recipe

Serves: 4 – 6 people
Prep Time: about 10 minutes
Cook Time about 30 minutes

Ingredients

½ tablespoon of olive oil
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
2 pounds skinless, boneless, chicken
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon dried or powder thyme
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon in powder form
1 (14.5 ounce) can Fire Roasted diced tomatoes
Water for both the chicken and the rice (have a pitcher or container with 4 cups of water ready)
2 cups of raw Jasmine rice
A couple of fresh sprigs of cilantro for decoration

Directions

Gather all the ingredients, line up in the order listed, and start measuring.
1. Measure each ingredient one by one (except for the oil, which can be measured just before using it over the pot).
2. Place the measured ingredients in small bowls or the container of your choice, and keep them in the order they are listed so they are ready to use.
3. Open the can of tomatoes.
Sprinkle the salt and pepper onto the chicken (one side only).

Start the Cooking Process.

Place the pot on your stovetop and turn the heat to medium-high. Wait 30-45 seconds for it to heat up.
Add the olive oil and allow it to heat up for about 20 seconds. If you’re comfortable, you can measure the oil with a half tablespoon over the top to add to this step.
Add the chicken with the salt and pepper side down. The chicken should sizzle a little. I recommend you use tongs for this step; they will reduce the chance of burning and keep your hands clean of bacteria.
Allow the chicken to cook for about 2 minutes. This process browns and sears the chicken, giving it consistency.
While it cooks on one side, sprinkle the top of the chicken with the garlic, onion, and thyme. Add the Bay leaves. There is no need to crush them; just add them whole.
Turn the chicken pieces over. This allows the chicken to cook the side with the spices infusing the flavors in the meat.
Let the chicken sear for about a minute.
Add the can of tomatoes.
Add the chicken bouillon on top of the chicken.
Add one cup of water and cover with the lid.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
This is a good time to start cooking the rice. A word of advice, before doing that,
1. You can put all your spices, oil, and bouillon away.
2. Discard the can of tomatoes for recycling.
3. Throw away the chicken wraps (decide what can go in the compost).
4. Clean any utensils you might have used and disinfect the sink area in case any raw chicken juices splashed anywhere.
After 10 minutes of the chicken simmering, uncover the pot and gently stir the chicken, tomatoes, and spices with a spoon, just lifting enough from the bottom to allow the liquids to flow and mix well.
Cover the pot with the lid and let it continue simmering for another 20 minutes.

You’re now ready to start preparing the rice. If you bought a rice cooker, read the directions on how to use it. The following instructions apply to almost all of them. I have an old rice cooker that serves many people. It’s very easy to use, and I highly recommend it.

Pour the raw rice into the rice cooker’s cooking device.
Add 2 and ¼ cups of the remaining water.
Stir the rice gently with a wooden spoon and cover it with its lid.
In my rice cooker I only have to press the button down to start cooking, check your instructions for the exact procedure.
In my rice cooker, when the rice was cooked, the ‘cook’ light flipped from red to the ‘warm’ light. This is a good feature that keeps your rice warm until you’re ready to use it.

A word of advice: Remove the rice cooker cover carefully, let the steam out of your way, and use a wooden spoon to stir the rice gently. You may want to use a mitten in the hand you use to stir the rice to avoid burning from the steam. Cover the cooker again and let it rest.

Ready to serve. Chicken and rice are cooked.

Remove the lid once again, and scoop the rice with a silicon or wooden spoon to serve it in a plate.
Place a scoop and a half of rice in the center of a plate.
Add a piece of the chicken over the rice.
Add some of the broth or stew liquid over both the chicken and the rice.
Top it with a few small pieces of cilantro.

Substitutions

For a richer recipe, you may want to make a few substitutions that require some extra steps in preparation. For example, using fresh onion and fresh garlic will require that you chop both in the preparation step, which calls for onion and garlic powder. If you’re not comfortable chopping, you can buy already chopped onion at the store and jarred chopped garlic, for the garlic I suggest “in olive oil” rather than brine because it changes the flavor. If you want to crush fresh garlic cloves with the garlic press gadget, it would make for a better tasting recipe.

👉 If chopping a fresh onion, select a small one (about the size of an egg) to make two tablespoons.

👉 The olive oil can be substituted with oil spray, but it’s not advisable to use store-bought oil sprays for pans coated with a non-stick surface. The spray should be held to a count of 2-3 seconds, moving to coat the bottom of the pot.

👉 You might find chicken packaged with a little more than 2 pounds. That’s okay, as is adding a piece of chicken with bone in to add flavor. Ensure the total number of chicken pieces yields a piece for each plate (a minimum of three large pieces).

👉 The dried herb thyme comes in powder form and dried leaves. Either is fine. If you wish to use fresh thyme, you need to wash it well, and you can just add the entire sprigs to the pot, but you should remove them prior to serving for better presentation.

👉 Any can of diced tomatoes will do; I do not recommend larger than 14.5 ounces. Also, the Fire-Roasted tomatoes have a unique flavor that enhances the recipe, and the charred pieces add texture and color.

👉 My choice of chicken bouillon is powder form, and I prefer Knorr, but either Mahler or Maggi will do. You can use cubes if they are small (1cm by 1 cm) and use three or four. If you have the larger cubes (1 inch by 1 inch) you could only use two.

🐔 Note that you may substitute steps 11 and 12 for store-bought chicken broth. You may need 1 cup and a half to ensure full flavor.

👉 My choice of rice for this and other dishes is Jasmine, as it is very aromatic and goes well with many dishes. But you can use any other rice you prefer. They do cook differently, and you need to follow the directions for cooking either on the stovetop or in a rice cooker. I would use a mix of brown and wild rice with this recipe, but it’s a little more complicated to prepare. I will show you how when you graduate from this recipe.

👉 The fresh cilantro that is used for presentation in this recipe can also be substituted with parsley. You may also add other toppings such as chopped green onions, chopped tomatoes, hot pepper flakes, etc.

I hope you had fun preparing this recipe, and the substitutions make it worthwhile to try other options.

My shopping list recommendations

From the grocery store

A small bottle of Cold Press Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Onion powder – make sure it does not say ‘onion salt’.
Garlic powder.
Salt and ground black pepper (this may already be in your kitchen).
2 – 2.5 pounds skinless, boneless, chicken thighs. You can also buy a small package of bone-in chicken to add one piece to the pot. Bone-in chicken adds flavor.
Thyme either leaves or powdered form.
Fresh thyme is another option available in the fresh produce section.
Bay leaves are found in the spice section.
1 (14.5 ounces) can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes (or any other diced tomatoes).
Chicken bouillon can be in powder form, cubed bouillon, or chicken broth (see substitutions’ instructions for the powder form).
A bag of jasmine rice is enough to obtain 2 cups of raw rice from it.
A bunch of fresh cilantro or parsley. Found in the fresh produce section.

From a department store or online shopping

As stated in the equipment required section above, the following are necessities for this recipe. Most of the items we already have at home are one version or another, but you can always buy a few gadgets or pots you didn’t have for future recipes.

A 5-7 Qt. non-stick pot with a lid.
An electric rice cooker that yields up to 10 cups of rice (see appendix for samples).
Wooden and silicon heat-resistant spoons to cook and serve from the pot (see appendix for samples).
Measuring spoons and cups.
A garlic press, if using fresh garlic, I recommend this gadget to use with fresh garlic.
Kitchen mittens or pot handlers and a couple of kitchen cloth towels.
A small set of mixing ingredients is helpful but not necessary. It makes separating and measuring the spices easier, so they’re ready to use when you are.
Tongs, you can buy a set of tongs for non-stick pans, it reduces the scratching of the pans.

5 – 7 Quart Nonstick Ceramic Coated Stove Top Pot

Gotham Steel Stock Pot with Ultra Nonstick Ceramic and Titanium Coating. It comes with a Tempered Glass Lid and is Dishwasher Safe. This 7-quart Copper Black pot is great for making stews and soups. My pot came from a red set of pots; they are just as beautiful, and I’ve had mine for a few years now.

8 Quart Pressure Cooker with Slow Cooking Technology

This Hamilton Beach Pressure Cooker, also known as an instant cooker, has 12 pre-determined cooking functions, including true slow cook technology. It sautés, steams, and even makes yogurt. It cooks a variety of foods including meat, poultry, grains, oatmeal, cheesecake, eggs, soups, and more. It also has a delay start feature to set cooking ahead of time. (Yes, I use mine all the time).

8-Cup Cooked Rice Maker

Hamilton Beach Digital Programmable Rice Cooker & Food Steamer. Yields up to 8 Cups of Rice Cooked (4 uncooked), with steams & rinse basket for vegetables or dumplings. Stainless Steel.

6-Piece Cooking Bamboo Spoons

6-Piece Riveira Bamboo Wooden Spoons for Cooking. The Utensil Set Essentials include slotted spatulas and spoons, a slanted spatula, a straight spatula, and a noodle or rice spoon. The Nonstick Kitchen Utensil Set is a Premium-Quality Housewarming Gift. Wooden Utensils are Great for Everyday Use.

15-Piece Cooking Silicone Spoon Set

15-piece Silicone Cooking Utensils Set – 446°F Heat Resistant. Nonstick Cookware Kitchen Utensils Spatula Set includes Turner Tongs, Spoon, Egg-White Separator, Whisk, Cake Spatula, Brush, and Utensil Container. Dishwasher Safe BPA Free (color: Coffee).

Basic Measuring Spoons and Cups for Cooking

Set of Measuring Cups and Spoons of 20 pieces. Includes 7 Stainless Steel Nesting Measuring Cups, 7 Spoons, 1 Leveler, and 5 Mini Measuring Spoons for Cooking & Baking.

Set of 6 Mini Silicone Spatulas for Kitchen

Evelots Set of 6 Mini Silicone Spatulas for Kitchen, Great for Cooking & Baking. Silicone Cooking Utensils Set is Heat Resistant BPA Free – Up To 446 Degrees

Made in USA, Large Walnut Cutting Board

Beautiful Made in USA from Sonder Los Angeles, Large Thick End Grain Walnut Wood Cutting Board with Non-Slip Feet, Juice Groove, and Sorting Compartments (compartment not shown) 17x13x1.5 in (Makes a beautiful gift. Gift box included.)

Stainless Steel Garlic Press & accessories

3-Piece Stainless Steel Garlic Press By Lechay, includes Garlic Press Tool, Cleaning Brush, and Silicone Garlic Peeler.

6-Pack Variety of Pot Holders

Rorecay Extra Long Oven Mitts and Pot Holders Sets. Heat Resistant Silicone Oven Mittens, Mini Oven Gloves, Hot Pad Potholders, Excellent for the Kitchen when Baking and Cooking. Quilted Liner, Pack of 6 – Colors include: Bermuda Teal, Black, Red, Bright Red, Gray, Lake Blue, Royal Blue, Pink, Yellow, and Milkshake.

In France, cooking is a serious art form and a national sport.

– Julia Child

Sources:

Julia Child quote thanks to BrainyQuote.com