Here’s A Classic Spanish Stewed Chicken Recipe With Bell Peppers and Tomatoes!
Pollo al chilindrón is a hearty and flavorful Spanish dish. It is essentially chicken stewed in a delicious sauce full of vegetables made with straightforward ingredients, such as tomatoes, onions, green peppers, and red peppers.
A glass of white wine elevates the sauce and enhances the flavors – complementing the meat that falls right off the bone!
You can enjoy pollo al chilindrón by itself or with some rice or potatoes (fried, mashed, etc.).
There are many Spanish stewed chicken recipes, but this one – with vegetables – originally comes from the northern regions of Spain, namely Aragón, Navarra, La Rioja, and the Basque Country.
Historians say it was invented in the city of Zaragoza in Aragón and quickly spread to the nearby regions. Today it is popular throughout the country.
Ingredients
To make this recipe, here are the Spanish Stewed Chicken ingredients that you will need:
- Chicken drumsticks – Or other parts of the chicken, from a whole chicken to thighs, drumsticks, or even wings (although wings are not traditional).
- White onion – Instead of a white onion, you can also use a yellow onion.
- Red bell pepper – Use fresh bell peppers for the best taste.
- Green bell pepper – Use fresh bell peppers for the best taste.
- Tomatoes – Alternatively canned tomatoes, but I highly recommend using freshly grated tomatoes. Use large, juicy, ripe tomatoes. The riper, the sweeter the sauce.
- Garlic cloves – Use fresh garlic cloves for the best flavor.
- Bay leaves – Add a subtle herbal taste to the dish.
- White wine – A decent quality white wine of your choice that you’d also drink on its own. I prefer semi-dry and fruity wines.
- Black pepper – Preferably freshly cracked black pepper for a hint of spice.
- Salt – To enhance the overall flavor.
- Olive oil – Don’t use any other type of oil since it would impact the flavor of the final dish.
Recipe Tips
Before you try out this easy Spanish stew chicken recipe, have a look at these recipe tips so that the dish turns out delicious:
- It’s important to chop the veggies evenly so they cook evenly and the final texture of the sauce is even.
- You can skip browning the meat if you’re short on time, but I highly recommend browning the chicken, since it adds lots of extra flavor. Brown the chicken in the same pot you are going to make the final pollo al chilindrón, that way all the flavor and browned bits will stay in the final dish.
- I like to saute the veggies until they are soft, a little browned and fragrant. There’s no need to fully caramelize them, but the longer you saute them the tastier the final sauce will be.
- Traditionally, the sauce has the texture you see in the photos, but I have also tried blending it for a smoother texture with great results. It’s especially nice if you plan to serve it with mashed potatoes.
- Pollo al chilindrón has a few different variations in the regions where it’s traditional. Some people include bits of serrano ham, bacon, or black olives.
- If you choose to add serrano ham to the sauce, you’ll need to be careful with the salt content, since serrano ham tends to get saltier when cooked.
How to Make Pollo al chilindrón – Step by Step Instructions
In this section, you can follow along with the recipe process photos and see exactly how to make pollo al chilindrón.
We’ve included all of the recipe photos so you can use them as visual guides when cooking at home, if that’s helpful for you.
First, prepare the vegetables for the sauce. Peel and dice the onion. Wash and chop the bell peppers. Also, peel and mince or press the garlic cloves.
Next, cut the tomatoes in half and grate the pulp, discard the skin. Then set the vegetables aside.
In a large pot, heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the drumsticks and season them with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Brown them on both sides over medium heat for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally. Then transfer the browned chicken pieces to a plate and set them aside.
Now add the rest of the olive oil as well as the garlic, onion, and peppers to the pot.
Cover over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the vegetables are soft and fragrant. Season them with a bit of salt.
Next, add the grated tomatoes, white wine, salt, bay leaves and more black pepper to the pot.
Stir well and then add the browned drumsticks back to the pot.
Cover the pot with a lid and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
Serve the pollo al chilindrón hot and enjoy! As mentioned, it goes great with rice or potatoes (fried, boiled, mashed).
Storage Tips
If you have leftover Pollo al Chilindrón, it will keep in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 3-4 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Related Recipes
For more classic Spanish recipes, have a look at these delicious creations:
- Spanish Lentil, Chorizo, and Pork Rib Stew
- Authentic Paella Valenciana
- Potaje de vigilia (Spanish Cod & Chickpea Stew)
- Spanish Garlic Chicken
- Chicken in Onion Sauce
- Spanish Oxtail Stew (Rabo de Toro)
Spanish Stewed Chicken (Pollo al chilindrón)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken drumsticks
- 1 white onion
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper
- 4 large tomatoes
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 cup white wine
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables for the sauce: Peel and dice the onion. Wash and chop the bell peppers. Peel and mince or press the garlic cloves. Cut the tomatoes in half and grate the pulp, discarding the skin. Then set the vegetables aside.1 white onion, 1 red bell pepper, 1 green bell pepper, 4 large tomatoes, 3 garlic cloves
- In a large pot, heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the drumsticks and season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Brown them on both sides over medium heat for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally. Transfer the browned chicken to a plate and set aside.2 pounds chicken drumsticks
- Add the rest of the olive oil and the garlic, onion, and peppers to the pot. Sauté over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the vegetables are soft and fragrant. Season with a bit of salt.
- Add the grated tomatoes, white wine, salt, bay leaves and more black pepper. Mix well and add the browned drumsticks to the pot.2 bay leaves, 1 cup white wine
- Cover the pot with a lid and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Serve hot and enjoy on its own or with rice or potatoes.
Notes
- Chop the vegetables evenly so they cook evenly.
- Don’t skip browning the chicken since it adds lots of extra flavor. Brown it in the same pot, that way all the flavor and browned bits will stay in the final dish.
- Traditionally, the sauce has the texture you see in the photos, but you can also blend it if you’d like. This tastes great if you plan to serve it with mashed potatoes.
- Pollo al chilindrón has a few different variations: some include bits of serrano ham, bacon, or black olives.
- If you add serrano ham to the sauce, be careful with the salt content, since serrano ham tends to get saltier when cooked.
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
