Pollo Guisado (Dominican Braised Chicken)
Chicken seasoned with garlic, oregano and lime, browned in caramelised sugar for a deep colour, then braised with peppers, tomato and olives. The chicken of the Dominican 'bandera' plate.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Season the chicken
Rub the chicken pieces with the lime juice, then mix with the garlic, salt, oregano, onion, green and red peppers, and coriander in a bowl. Cover and leave for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or overnight in the fridge.
- 1.2 kg chicken
- 1 lime, juiced
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 onion
- 1 green pepper
- 1 red pepper
- 2 tbsp coriander
Caramelise the sugar
Heat the oil in a wide, heavy pot (about 26 cm/10 in across, so the chicken can later lie flat) over medium-high heat. Add the sugar and let it melt and turn dark amber, 1-2 minutes, watching closely as it burns fast.
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp sugar
✅ Done when: sugar is melted and dark amber
Brown the chicken
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Add the vegetables and tomato
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Braise
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Serve
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Season the chicken
Rub the chicken pieces with the lime juice, then mix with the garlic, salt, oregano, onion, green and red peppers, and coriander in a bowl. Cover and leave for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or overnight in the fridge.
- 1.2 kg chicken
- 1 lime, juiced
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 onion
- 1 green pepper
- 1 red pepper
- 2 tbsp coriander
Caramelise the sugar
Heat the oil in a wide, heavy pot (about 26 cm/10 in across, so the chicken can later lie flat) over medium-high heat. Add the sugar and let it melt and turn dark amber, 1-2 minutes, watching closely as it burns fast.
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp sugar
✅ Done when: sugar is melted and dark amber
Brown the chicken
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Add the vegetables and tomato
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Braise
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Serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
Pollo guisado is the everyday centrepiece of Dominican lunch, the main meal of the day. Browning the meat in caramelised sugar, a technique also used in Trinidad and other Caribbean islands, gives the stew its rich colour and a subtle sweetness.
With white rice and stewed beans, it forms 'la bandera dominicana', the flag, the national lunch eaten across the country almost every day.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Tender, saucy and full of sazón, it's the taste of a Dominican home at lunchtime.
💡 Fun Fact
Many Dominican cooks prepare their own sazón, a blended mix of garlic, peppers, onion, coriander and oregano, and keep it in the fridge for everyday cooking.
Dominican Republic
18.49°N, -69.93°W
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