Sancocho De Pollo (Puerto Rican Chicken Stew)
Ingredients
Chicken Seasoning
- 1 tbsp olive oil or achiote oil
- 1/2 cup sofrito
- 2 tsp adobo seasoning
- 2 tsp Sazon seasoning
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
Sanconcho Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil or achiote oil
- 1/2 cup diced ham or smoked sausage (optional)
- 2 lbs bone-in chicken legs and/or thighs can sub with boneless chicken thighs, cut into large chunks
- 1/2 cup no salt tomato sauce
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3/4 lb yautia (malanga) and/or yuca (cassava) root peeled and cut into large chunks
- 3/4 lb ñame (Caribbean yam) peeled and cut into large chunks
- 2 large green plantains peeled and cut into 1 inch discs
- 1/2 lb calabasa kabocha squash, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 2-3 ears of corn cut into 2 inch discs
- 8 sprigs culantro or cilantro
- 3 dried bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon powdered chicken bouillon or more to taste
- ripe avocado for serving
- white rice for serving
Instructions
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Place the diced chicken into a bowl and pour the sofrito and Sazon seasoning over it. Mix to combine and set aside.
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Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, then add oil and diced ham/sausage.
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Cook for 2 minutes, then add chicken/sofrito mixture into the pot.
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Saute for 4-5 minutes, then add the tomato sauce and chicken broth.
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Bring the mixture to a boil, then add the yautia, ñame, yuca, green plantains, chicken bouillon, culantro/cilantro and bay leaves. Reserve the pumpkin/squash and corn.
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Cover the sancocho and simmer for 30-40 minutes, until the root vegetables become tender.
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Add the pumpkin and corn and cook for 20 minutes more.
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Check for seasoning, the sancocho should be thick and creamy. If not, mash a few of the root veggies into the stew.
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Serve with sliced avocado and white rice
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
If desired, you can make plantain dumplings for your sancocho. Remove the cooked plantains from the sancocho. Mash the cooked plantains with a pilon or potato masher until smooth. Grab about 2 tablespoons of the mashed plantain (will be hot), and form it into a ball with your hands. Continue with the rest of the mashed plantain mixture. Drop the plantain balls back into the sancocho.