(pronounced poh-yo gheesadoh)
We kind of stayed longer than expected at my neighbor’s across the street; it’s what happens when the kids are playing nicely together (meaning: not killing each other yet) and the cup of tea morphs into a glass of wine and the conversation gets spicy and grown-up. Then their pizza delivery arrives and my son of course wants and gets a slice too and her husband is about to get home for dinner and the pizza he is expecting is rapidly disappearing…
Fortunately, I had just made pollo guisado (chicken stew), so I grabbed a plastic thingy from my neighbor and ran across the street to my refrigerator and packed up enough for the two grown-ups, thus alleviating my mortification when the little man demanded – and got – a second slice. This is a no-brainer dish and uses chicken thighs – tasty and cheap! My neighbor specifically requested that I blog the recipe, so here it is.
NB: This tastes just like my grandmother used to make. Authentic Puerto Rican flavor with relatively little fuss.
Pollo Guisado para Teresa
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 Cup chopped onion
1 Cup chopped green peppers (the long pale green cubanelles are preferred, but I use whatever I have around, including red peppers or roasted red peppers from a jar)
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Cup tomato puree, diced/chopped or peeled whole tomatoes
1.5 lbs boneless chicken thighs (more if using chicken on the bone)
1/4-1/2 tspn salt
2 12 oz cans beer
2 Tbs red wine
15 pimiento stuffed olives
In a saucepan, heat oil until fragrant and liquid. Add onion, peppers and garlic, coat and lower heat, sauteing until wilted. Add tomatoes and allow to thicken at medium heat. Add chicken and stir to coat then add salt. Add wine and beer and bring to boil, simmer 15 minutes and then add stuffed olives. Simmer another 15-20 minutes to let the flavors develop and the chicken to tenderize. I let it cook as long as I have time for so the chicken begins to fall apart. Serve over rice or as part of a quesadilla or over tortillas with melted cheese. Serves four big appetites
For a milder version with breast meat and less beer, click here!
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Hot, Cheap & Easy 
I have to try this stew! I love chicken stew but haven’t had a good recipe in years. Btw, do you make your own sofrito? I have a friend who makes it and I put it in my chicken soup. Delish!!
Try this https://hotcheapeasy.com/2011/06/30/sofrito-for-freezing-puerto-rican-mirepoix/ I make sofrito all the time and freeze it, just like my grandmother and her sisters…thanks for the visit!
Ooh, sounds yummy. As I don’t usually keep beer in the house, is there anything that can be substituted?
Thanks for visiting!!! I’d say a good chicken stock would make a fine substitute….Let me know how it works for you!