If that is something you love, then you are going to love Peruvian estofado de pollo – a delightful chicken stew with all your favorite ingredients in it.
It doesn’t matter what time of year it is, this dish has a place in every household in Peru. The good news is, this dish is so easy, anyone can make it!
There is nothing intimidating about this mouthwatering delight, so you can get your family to help out, too.
Quick Answer: Peruvian Estofado De Pollo – A Can’t-Miss Recipe
To make Peruvian estofado de pollo, you are going to need chicken, carrots, peas, potatoes (baking and russet), garlic, tomatoes, rice, onion, and a handful of other ingredients.
Simply chip and prepare your ingredients, and start sealing your chicken in a pot while your rice is cooking. Allow the chicken a few minutes to seal (but not cook through) before adding your tomato, onion, garlic, and chili pepper to cook for a few minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients, and simmer for 25 minutes until everything is cooked, and serve with rice!
If you want to recreate this delicious recipe, be sure to read through all the steps – you don’t regret it.
The Origins Of This Recipe
This delightful dish can be traced back to Spain, where the traditional dish was actually made from beef.
The bull, which was killed in a bullfight, would be prepared and used for a stew, usually made by the families of the bullfighters themselves.
The dish was brought to Peru by the Spaniards when they took over the land, bringing with them recipes and culture. One of those recipes is estofado!
The primary difference between the traditional Spanish version and the Peruvian one is the addition of the jí panca chili pepper.
This gives it a unique flavor and a lovely red hue while adding some sweetness and mild spice.
Chicken started to get used in this dish in the 1960s when it became more affordable, and this particular version of the dish was born.
You can often find this dish being served with rice, salad, or even French fries on special occasions.
What Ingredients Will You Need?
You will already have most (if not everything) that you need to make this recipe sitting in your kitchen, so half the work is already done!
Here’s a list of the full ingredients that you need to make Peruvian estofado de pollo:
Chicken (drumsticks are great)
Carrots
Peas
Russet potatoes
Baking potatoes
Garlic
Rice
Tomatoes
Onion
Vegetable oil
Cilantro
Chicken stock
Ground ají panca chili pepper
Cumin
Salt
Pepper
A Step-By-Step Guide To Peruvian Estofado De Pollo
Here, we will go through a super easy step-by-step guide to follow so that you can easily make this at home:
Measure out and wash your rice, then start cooking it in an electric rice cooker. If you don’t have one of these, simply simmer it on the stovetop – just remember to add some salt to it!
Get a pot and add in your vegetable oil. Allow it to heat up, and fry the chicken pieces until they are sealed. This will only take a few minutes – your goal is not to cook the chicken through! Once sealed, remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside.
In that same pot, add your garlic, tomato, onion, and ground chili pepper, and fry everything together.
Add your salt, pepper, and cumin according to your preferences
Add the chicken stock to the pot, along with your chopped carrot, potato, peas, and cilantro stem. Place the sealed chicken back in the pot.
Cook everything on a simmer for around 25 minutes until everything is cooked
NOTE: you might want to chop up your potatoes if you do not think that they will cook within 25–30 minutes!
Tips And Tricks
Any recipe can be improved upon and messed up – that’s just life! To ensure that you don’t make any of the mistakes we did, here are a few helpful tips and tricks to consider when you are making this dish.
Keep The Heat On Medium
It’s easy to burn chicken skin, and you can avoid this by keeping the heat on medium. You do not need to rush through this recipe since it is already pretty quick and painless.
All the ingredients in this dish tend to cook very quickly, so you should always have one eye on the pot to make sure nothing gets overcooked.
Besides that, this recipe is so easy, you can get your kids to do it.
Make Sure To Seal The Chicken Before Adding Anything Else
Sealing the chicken before anything else gets added is crucial for the finished result.
Unless you want your chicken falling off the bone (which is entirely possible), take the time to cook it for a few minutes before anything else.
By sealing the chicken, you will also help to improve its flavor, and the overall dish is improved.
Add Some Red Wine
We like adding red wine to whatever we can, and it happens to work beautifully for this dish!
You can just add half a cup of red wine when it’s time to simmer everything, and you will get a dish that’s a little different.
Use Chicken Broth
You can use chicken broth instead of stock if you like! Broth usually has a stronger flavor, and the texture can be a little different.
You could either purchase some from your local store, or make some yourself (it’s so easy, but does take a while).
It will enhance the flavor wonderfully, and make this dish even richer.
A Bay Leaf Will Be A Game Changer
As you are putting the dish on to simmer, why not add a bay leaf for some additional flavor and depth? This simple addition can make a big difference! Once you try it, you will never go back.
Substitute The Chicken For Vegetarian Options
If you would like to skip the meat altogether, you could always use soy meat options or something else. You could even use mushrooms in a dish like this, and they will work beautifully.
Soy is a great option, as the flavors of the dish will seep into the food nicely, adding so much incredible flavor. It’s a good option to try out, even if you aren’t vegetarian!
What Can You Serve This Dish With?
Feel free to serve this dish with all kinds of things! The traditional option is a generous serving of rice, but you could even enjoy estofado de pollo with French fries, tortillas, or even pasta.
You could up the vegetables in the dish if you would prefer not to have any kind of side with it, too. However, we would stick with good old rice – it’s classic.
Can You Store Leftovers?
Leftovers can absolutely be stored. All you need to do is allow everything to cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container.
Keep it in the refrigerator for up to five days (but preferably eat within three).
You can also freeze what you don’t eat. Follow the same instructions, and make sure the food is kept in a freezer-safe container.
When you want to enjoy your leftovers, all you need to do is allow the food to thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and heat it over low-medium heat on the stovetop.
Use a meat thermometer if you have one to make sure that the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees, so you know it is fully heated.
You could also use a microwave to reheat your food. Place the food in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat it using 45-second intervals. Just be careful not to burn yourself!
Final Thoughts
This Peruvian estofado de pollo is ridiculously easy to make, and it takes less than an hour from start to end (Also check out How To Make Cau Cau A Peruvian Tripe Stew). The flavors are fantastic, and everything works together like a dream.
It’s easy to imagine sitting with a bowl of this watching your favorite cozy movie, right?
Remember – there are lots of variations you could try. You don’t even need to use chicken if you don’t feel like it. Beef was the original meat in the dish, so why not try that?
You can also explore other additions like red wine, bay leaf, and chicken broth instead of stock for a heartier flavor.
Whatever you choose to do – enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Measure out and wash your rice, then start cooking it in an electric rice cooker. If you don’t have one of these, simply simmer it on the stovetop – just remember to add some salt to it!
Get a pot and add in your vegetable oil. Allow it to heat up, and fry the chicken pieces until they are sealed. This will only take a few minutes – your goal is not to cook the chicken through! Once sealed, remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside.
In that same pot, add your garlic, tomato, onion, and ground chili pepper, and fry everything together.
Add your salt, pepper, and cumin according to your preferences
Add the chicken stock to the pot, along with your chopped carrot, potato, peas, and cilantro stem. Place the sealed chicken back in the pot.
Cook everything on a simmer for around 25 minutes until everything is cooked
NOTE: you might want to chop up your potatoes if you do not think that they will cook within 25–30 minutes!
Hey! I’m Lana, the original Soup Chick! I decided to create this website as I am a massive soup fan. I will literally make soup for every occasion. Whether a friend is under the weather, has the flu, or I just want to try out something new in my slow cooker!
I hope that you can find some really interesting and different soup recipes to try out with my site. I know I’ve had a lot of fun curating and trying them all, and I hope that you do too!
