Pollo Encebollado (Spanish Onion Chicken)

plate of onion chicken with side of rice sitting on counter.

Pollo Encebollado (Spanish Onion Chicken)

Pollo Encebollado - or Spanish Onion Chicken - is a classic Spanish dish. This succulent chicken is stewed in lots of caramelized onions, beer, and herbs - and can be served with sides like rice, potatoes, and more!

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Spanish

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings

Author Alba Luna Meyer

Ingredients

3 large white onions
2 garlic cloves
4 to 5 chicken thighs
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste; divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 bay leaves
a sprig of fresh rosemary
a few sprigs of fresh thyme
1 small can beer, (approximately 350 ml or 12 fl oz)

Instructions

Peel the onions and slice them thinly. Also peel and slice the garlic as well. Set them aside.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
Heat the olive oil in a pan. Brown the chicken thighs on both sides over medium-high heat, then remove and set aside on a plate. The chicken doesn't need to be fully cooked at this stage, since it will finish cooking later with the sauce.
Using the same pan, add the sliced garlic cloves and onions. Season with a bit of salt and black pepper. Cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes until they become soft, fragrant, and browned. Stir regularly.
Add the chicken back to the pan along with the bay leaves, thyme and rosemary.
Carefully pour in the beer.
Cover the pan and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes. The chicken should be fully cooked and tender.
Serve the dish hot with a side dish of your choice.

Notes

You can also use other parts of chicken, such as drumsticks. Chicken breast is also an option, but it may turn out a bit too dry.
Instead of fresh herbs, you can also use dried rosemary (about 1 tablespoon) and thyme (about 1 teaspoon).
You can substitute the beer with white wine if you prefer. Avoid overly sweet wines.
By browning the meat before cooking the onions the chicken will be more flavorful. Also, the olive oil will be infused with the chicken flavor which affects the final flavor of the dish, so don’t skip this step.
Make sure to cook the onions until they are soft and browned – the longer the better. This will make the sauce delicious, so don’t skip or shorten this step.
Once you put the browned chicken back into the pan, make sure to also add the liquid that it released while sitting on the plate.
After you add the beer and the herbs, cook over low heat for about 30 minutes, so the chicken cooks evenly and the sauce develops maximum flavor.

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.