Pollo Guisado

Tonight, we made one of the Dominican Republic's most popular dishes. According to my cookbook, Extending the Table: Recipes and Stories from Argentina to Zambia in the spirit of More-with-Less, this is one of the recipes that every young Dominican learn how to make. Variations abound using alternate protein like pork, beef, fish - even goat. But, as I mentioned, we had pollo (chicken) in the freezer, so pollo it is!

Guisado means stew, but this dish comes together in a snap. The meat should marinate for about an hour, if possible, but after that it's not long till dinner time. Typically, it's served with rice and beans. We had some leftover rice from Saturday's feast, so we reheated that but skipped the beans.

Let me just say, smelling the ingredients as I mixed them together to marinade, I knew this meal was going to be delicious and it definitely didn't disappoint.

Here's how I made it:

3 large chicken breasts, cut into chunks
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 small onions, diced
1 bell pepper, sliced into strips
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (you can also use vinegar)
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp dried cilantro
1 bay leaf
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Pinch of ground allspice
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Mix all ingredients and allow to marinate for an hour, if possible. When you're ready to cook, heat some oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan and add 1 tsp brown sugar. Brown the meat (not the rest of the marinade ingredients) in batches, if needed to get good color. Then, add the marinade ingredients along with a 15 oz can of tomato sauce, cover and cook till the meat is done. Garnish each serving with a handful of roughly chopped green olives.

Delicioso!