• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

La Piña en la Cocina

Embracing my Mexican heritage and sharing all the wonderful flavors, colors and foods I grew up with. Join me on this journey as I also learn new foods and cooking techniques. Dedicated to my parents Ramiro and Blanca.

  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
    • Mexican at Heart
    • Media
  • Contact
  • Disclosure/Privacy Policy
Home » Chicken~Pollo » Chicken Stew-Estofado de Pollo!

Chicken Stew-Estofado de Pollo!

May 22, 20212 Comments

90 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Chicken stew translates to estofado de pollo in Spanish. This is an easy and traditional method to prepare a rustic Mexican dinner. The wonderful thing about this recipe for chicken stew is that it can be prepared with beef, pork or seafood! Once you learn basic Mexican recipes like this one, skies the limit!

Pinterest image of chicken stew with header

Easy, Delicious and Traditional!

landscape photo of chicken stew

What Does Estofado Mean?

In this case we are talking about food. Estofado is a term used to describe how a dish is cooked in a stew form. Other words in Spanish used to describe similar dishes are cocido, guisado and guiso. And just know that every family has there own version of these dishes.

top view of bowl of chicken stew

Do You Have To Add Chile Peppers?

I don’t know about you, but I grew up enjoying all kinds of chile peppers. From a very young age, I was eating spicy foods and still love it today! Mexican food has a reputation for being spicy, but it really varies from family to family. My mom cooked on the spicy side, so that is how I learned to cook. Peppers are added for heat, but in some cases they are added whole just to add flavor without all the heat.

close up of chicken stew

Opt For Fresh Over Canned!

If possible, my first choice will always be fresh produce over canned or over frozen. In a pinch, of course I will use what I have to and make it work. But, you can tell the difference in flavor and texture when it comes right down to it. Pantry and freezer staples to have on hand are, frozen mixed vegetables(over canned), canned beans, fire roasted tomatoes and tomato sauce.

Tomatoes sliced into quarters on cutting board

Do You Refrigerate Your Tomatoes?

Yes! Although I love the idea of perfectly ripe Roma tomatoes on the counter at room temperature, it’s not always an option for me. I buy big amounts of tomatoes to last me through the week. I can’t have them ripening too quickly, so I refrigerate them. Most times I use them to prepare cooked salsas or sauces. if I want tomatoes for a salad, I will purchase different tomatoes, not Roma tomatoes.

Onions and garlic on dutch oven pot
close up of tomatoes ready to go into pot
Onions, garlic and tomatoes in pot
ingredients in blender jar for tomato sauce

Chicken Breast Or Chicken Thighs?

When it comes to flavor and moisture, I will always choose chicken thighs. I have specific recipes for chicken breast that I enjoy. When it comes to recipes like this, the chicken thighs and drumsticks hold up better and don’t dry out.

Chicken thighs uncooked seasoned with salt and pepper
Seared chicken thighs skin side up in pot
vegetables, garbanzo beans, olives and fresh herbs for stew
Pouring blended tomato sauce into dutch oven pot
Adding fresh herbs to pot
Adding seared chicken thighs to tomato sauce in pot
Adding vegetables to pot
Adding jalapeños to pot
Adding garbanzo beans to the pot
close up of chicken stew in a bowl
top view of chicken stew in a bowl

Estofado de Pollo

Easy and traditional Mexican chicken and vegetable stew!
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes
Servings: 6 Servings

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2-4 pounds bone in chicken thighs 6 large pieces
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 medium onion sliced
  • 6 cloves of garlic
  • Oil
  • 10 roma tomatoes quartered
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2-3 carrots
  • 2 medium russet potatoes
  • 2-3 Jalapeños sliced into strips
  • 3-4 sprigs Fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
  • 3-4 sprigs Fresh marjoram or 1 tsp dried
  • 1/2 tsp Mexican Oregano
  • 1 1/2 cups garbanzo beans optional
  • 1/2 cup Spanish Olives optional

Instructions

  • Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
  • In a large heavy skillet at medium heat, preheat 2 tablespoons of oil for a few minutes. Add the onions and garlic. Saute for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes. Season lightly with salt and pepper and continue cooking for 5 minutes.
  • Transfer skillet ingredients to the blender. Pour in 3 cups of chicken broth( or water) and 1/4 cup of vinegar. Blend on high until very smooth. Set aside.
  • In that same deep skillet, wipe it down with a wet paper towel. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and heat for a few minutes at medium. Sear the chicken for 5 minutes per side. You may have to sear the chicken in two batches. Transfer to a plate.
  • Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the skillet. Still at medium heat, pour the blended tomato sauce into the skillet. Add 1 more cup of, broth or water.
  • When it comes up to a boil, taste for salt and pepper. Add the fresh thyme and marjoram. Add the chicken back into the skillet. Pour in any remaining juices on the plate. Cook the chicken for 15 minutes.
  • Add the potatoes, carrots and jalapenos. Cook for another 10 minutes. Add the garbanzo beans and crushed oregano. Continue cooking until carrots and potatoes are cooked through, about 5-10 minutes. Serve with red rice, warm tortillas and lime wedges.

Notes

You can use this same recipe and substitute the chicken with pork or beef country style ribs or hind shanks.
Tried this recipe?Mention @pinaenlacocina or tag #pinaenlacocina!

Like this:

Like Loading...

Filed Under: Chicken~Pollo, Stews~Guisados, Traditional Mexican Recipes Tagged With: Chicken Stew, Estofado, Estofado de Pollo, Stews, Traditional Mexican Recipes

Previous Post: « Tomatillo Chile De Arbol Salsa
Next Post: Machacado! Beef and Egg Scramble! »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rosalia

    May 26, 2021 at 8:47 pm

    Hola Sonia,
    Could you please please advise how many chiles you add to the recipe? I love spicy food so would like to try your method and is not listed in the recipe. This looks like a delicious estofado de pollo.
    Love your blog! Gracias!

    Reply
    • Sonia

      May 27, 2021 at 7:29 pm

      Hi Rosali, I added 3 jalapeños all together, but you can add as many or as little as you like. I will make sure to edit the post to make it more clear, thank you.

      Reply

Would Love to Hear From YouCancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

Hi, my name is Sonia Mendez Garcia. My parents Ramiro and Blanca Mendez moved to the United States from Monterrey, Mexico in 1963. I am first generation Mexican American born in Los Angeles, California. Cooking has always been one of my passions in life. This is my journey and I can't wait to see what the future holds. Read More…

Never Miss a Recipe

Get all the latest directly to your inbox

View Privacy Policy Before Subscribing

View our privacy policy

Mariscos-Seafood

Chilean Sea Bass in Adobo

chilean sea bass plated

Crispy Masa Crusted Shrimp and Poppers

popper with cheese and bacon filling

More Ceviche & Aguachile!

aguachile verde in a heart shaped cazuela

Filetes de Pescado al Ajillo-Garlic Butter & Lime Cod

You might also like…

Spicy Cilantro Garlic Shrimp

Escabeche with Cauliflower

shrimp ceviche up close

Shrimp Ceviche And More!! Some Of My Favorites!

Copyright © 2025 LA PIÑA EN LA COCINA

90 shares
MENU & SEARCH
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
    • Mexican at Heart
    • Media
  • Contact
  • Disclosure/Privacy Policy
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie Settings Accept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
Save & Accept
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d

      Rate This Recipe

      Your vote:




      A rating is required
      A name is required
      An email is required