• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

A Taste for Travel

The world's most amazing food, drink and sun destinations

  • Home
  • About Us
    • News and Awards
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure
  • Partner with Us
  • Contact
  • Home
  • About Us
    • News and Awards
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure
  • Partner with Us
  • Contact
  • Destinations
    • Mexico
      • Mexico City
      • Cancun Riviera-Maya
      • Huatulco & Mazunte
      • Morelia
      • Oaxaca City
      • Puerto Escondido
      • Puerto Vallarta
      • Chiapas
      • San Miguel de Allende
    • Caribbean
      • Anguilla
      • Antigua and Barbuda
      • Aruba
      • Bahamas
      • Bonaire
      • Curacao
      • Dominican Republic
      • Grenada
      • Martinique
      • St. Kitt’s
      • Trinidad & Tobago
      • Virgin Islands
    • Central America
      • Belize
      • Costa Rica
      • Guatemala
      • Panama
    • Europe
      • Cyprus
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Portugal
      • Spain
      • Turkey
    • Canada & United States
      • British Columbia
      • Nova Scotia
      • Ontario
      • Florida
      • Hawaii
      • Kentucky
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfasts
    • Drinks
    • Desserts
    • Sauces & Salsas
    • Entrees
    • Soup
    • Guatemalan Recipes
  • Reviews & Tips
  • Types of Travel
    • Cruises & Boating
    • Food & Wine
    • Romantic Getaways
  • Destinations
    • Mexico
      • Mexico City
      • Cancun Riviera-Maya
      • Huatulco & Mazunte
      • Morelia
      • Oaxaca City
      • Puerto Escondido
      • Puerto Vallarta
      • Chiapas
      • San Miguel de Allende
    • Caribbean
      • Anguilla
      • Antigua and Barbuda
      • Aruba
      • Bahamas
      • Bonaire
      • Curacao
      • Dominican Republic
      • Grenada
      • Martinique
      • St. Kitt’s
      • Trinidad & Tobago
      • Virgin Islands
    • Central America
      • Belize
      • Costa Rica
      • Guatemala
      • Panama
    • Europe
      • Cyprus
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Portugal
      • Spain
      • Turkey
    • Canada & United States
      • British Columbia
      • Nova Scotia
      • Ontario
      • Florida
      • Hawaii
      • Kentucky
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfasts
    • Drinks
    • Desserts
    • Sauces & Salsas
    • Entrees
    • Soup
    • Guatemalan Recipes
  • Reviews & Tips
  • Types of Travel
    • Cruises & Boating
    • Food & Wine
    • Romantic Getaways
Home » Recipes » Entrees » Easy Spanish Chicken Stew with Chorizo

Easy Spanish Chicken Stew with Chorizo

Posted October 14, 2022, Updated February 6, 2023 //  by Michele Peterson 2 Comments

We may earn income from links in this post. Please read this Disclosure for details.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Collage of pollo guisado Guatemalteco in a white dish and braising pan.
Bowl of Spanish chicken stew with Pinterest text overlay.

This traditional Spanish chicken stew is a one-pot comfort dish featuring chicken thighs slow-braised with chorizo sausage in a velvety tomato sauce of white wine, oregano, cumin, thyme and paprika.

Spanish chicken and chorizo stew in a white bowl with rice.
This Spanish chicken stew is easy enough for a mid-week meal but is also special enough for entertaining.

Usually served with fluffy white rice, this easy chicken stew (or pollo guisado as it’s known throughout Latin America) gets an extra hit of deep, rich flavour from garlic-rich chorizo and briny, green olives.  

If you enjoy this recipe you definitely need to try Bacalao a la Vizcaina, a salt cod stew! Both go great with a Spanish Gin and Tonic to kick things off!

Jump to:
  • What is Spanish Chicken Stew?
  • Why You Will Love This Recipe
  • Ingredients 
  • Spanish Stew Variations 
  • How to Make Spanish Chicken Stew with Chorizo
  • How to Store
  • How to Serve
  • Expert Tips
  • FAQs
  • More Stew and Soup Recipes You’ll Enjoy
  • Easy Spanish Chicken Stew with Chorizo

What is Spanish Chicken Stew?

Spanish-style chicken stews very are popular in the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, and other Latin American countries where they’re known as pollo guisado, guiso de pollo, and piernas de pollo guisadas. 

Unlike many guisados, this stewed chicken recipe contains no sazon or adobo mix which can contain MSG, artificial additives and preservatives. It gets its delicious flavour from smoky chorizo and all-natural spices of cumin, oregano, thyme and paprika.  

However, unlike other traditional Guatemalan stews that are Maya in origin, this stew is of Spanish origin. Along with paella Valenciana, jamón ibérico, tortilla española and gazpacho, it’s a dish you’ll find served in many regions of Spain.

That means it contains smoky Spanish paprika rather than traditional Guatemalan seasonings of cilantro, chile guaque and chile pasa. 

Why You Will Love This Recipe

  • Quick and easy. Ready in around 45 minutes, it’s so easy to make it’s virtually foolproof. 
  • It’s the ultimate one-pot meal! You can make and serve it in the same pot. 
  • It’s super versatile. Add carrots and potatoes (as is typical in Guatemala) or sliced green peppers. Swap artichokes or chickpeas for the chorizo and olives. You can even include split red lentils to make a thicker stew. 
  • Hearty and satisfying. Along with other traditional Guatemalan chicken stews such as pepián de pollo, kak-ik, and pollo jocon, pollo guisado Guatemalteco is perfect to enjoy in fall when the weather gets chilly.  
  • Budget-friendly. Cooking chicken thigh recipes makes a very economical meal.  

Ingredients 

Before getting started cooking, here’s what you will need to gather to make this Spanish stew with chicken recipe.

Labelled ingredients for Spanish stew chicken including boneless chicken, white wine, garlic, onion, crushed tomatoes, spices, olive oil, olives, honey, boullion and chorizo.
  • Chicken Thighs: Chicken thighs are the most flavourful cut of chicken to use. However, if you prefer you can substitute chicken breasts if you cut them into two or three pieces.

    This recipe calls for boneless chicken thighs but you can use more economical bone-in chicken thighs if you increase the cooking time. 
  • Spanish paprika: Spanish paprika or pimentón (either sweet or hot) is a smoked pepper that’s an essential ingredient in  Spanish cooking. It adds a smoky, sultry flavour that really makes this dish. 
  • White Wine: Adds depth and acidity. A Spanish albariño wine is ideal as it will also contribute minerality and fruit notes. If you don’t want to use white wine, you can substitute more chicken or vegetable broth in equal parts. If using store-bought broth, go for a low-sodium version (so your dish doesn’t end up too salty) and serve with a wedge of lemon or lime to add some acidity to the dish.
  • Dried Cumin, Oregano, Thyme, and Cayenne: Dried (or fresh herbs) add flavour and substitute for prepackaged sazon mixes. The original recipe for stewed Spanish chicken calls for pimentón de padrón but this can be difficult to source in North America so I’ve substituted cayenne. 
  • Stewed Plum Tomatoes: Stewed (store-bought or canned) tomatoes make a juicy, saucy stew.  
  • Spanish Chorizo: Spanish chorizo is a smoked pork sausage made with garlic, salt and pimentón. Unlike Mexican chorizo that’s raw, Spanish chorizo is cooked and cured (either dry or soft/semi-cured). 
  • Onion and garlic: Always use North American, South American, or Spanish garlic rather than Chinese as the flavour is more subtle and less sharp. 
  • Pitted Green Olives: Be sure to use pitted olives, preferably not the ones stuffed with pimento. 
  • Chicken Stock or Bouillon:  For the best flavour, it’s best to use homemade chicken stock. For example, if I poach chicken to make salpicón de pollo tostadas, I freeze the cooking liquid to use as stock.

    But if you don’t have chicken stock on hand,  you can substitute chicken bouillon mixed with water. Opt for a brand with low sodium and no MSG or additives. 

⭐ Food Waste Tip: If you have excess chicken stock (from a can or boxed) I like to use it up in this recipe for Chicken Chipotle Slow Cooker Soup.

Spanish Stew Variations 

  • Spanish Chicken with Garbanzo Beans: Swap out the chorizo for garbanzo beans. Just drain a can of garbanzo beans (or cook from scratch in advance), then add during the last 10 minutes of cooking until warm.
  • Spanish Chicken with Potatoes (Pollo Guisado Guatemalteco): In Guatemala, it’s typical to add peeled, diced and cooked potatoes and often carrots in this chicken stew. You could also add fresh green beans if they’re in season, making it similar to the popular Guatemalan dish known as hilachas, stewed shredded beef in tomato sauce.  
  • Spanish Chicken with Artichokes: Cooked artichoke hearts can also be included for a special occasion.  Drain the canned artichokes, then nestle them in the tomato sauce, cover and allow them to warm in the sauce during the last 10 minutes of cooking. 
  • Chicken and Lentil Stew: Adding red lentils makes a thicker stew and boosts fibre and nutrition. Increase the temperature in the final 10 minutes of cooking. Add 1/2 cup of rinsed, split red lentils and simmer until tender. The cooked lentils should be quite soft. If the lentils are old they’ll take longer to cook. You may need to add a little more boiling water if necessary. 

How to Make Spanish Chicken Stew with Chorizo

Are you ready to get started cooking this Spanish chicken stew recipe? Let’s look at the main steps. Please scroll down to the recipe card for the complete method and ingredient measurements. 

  1. Remove the casing from the chorizo sausage if necessary. Cut the chorizo into slices. Heat a large braising pan with oil on medium heat. Brown the chorizo for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let the chorizo release a bit of juice and fat.
Chorizo browning in a cast iron pan.
Brown the chorizo and save some of the oil to brown the chicken.
  1. Add the trimmed chicken thighs, skin down to the pan and brown for about 2-3 minutes. When the skin is browned, flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Remove both the chorizo and chicken from the pan and set aside.
Chicken browning in a cast iron skillet.
Brown the chicken on both sides.
  1. Add the white wine to the same pan and deglaze by scraping the browned bits with a wooden spoon. Add the sliced and chopped onion and garlic.
Onions browning in a cast iron pan.
  1. Reduce the temperature to medium-low heat and cook for a few minutes. Then add the thyme, oregano, paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt. Stir everything together.

    Add the chopped tomatoes, water mixed with bouillon powder (or chicken stock) to the pan. Bring to a low boil. 
Tomato sauce simmering in a cast iron pan.
Add the tomatoes and spices, then simmer the tomato sauce.
  1. Transfer the chicken thighs (and their juices) back into the braising pan with the chorizo. Cover and bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 25 minutes or until tender.
Chorizo and chicken stew Spanish simmering in a cast iron pan.
Return the chicken and chorizo to the braising pan.
  1. Remove the cover and add the honey, olives and freshly-ground black pepper. Add boiling water if the sauce is too dry or remove the lid and allow the stew to cook longer if it’s too thin. This step will depend on how saucy the canned tomatoes are that you add to the stew. Cook together until heated through.
Pollo guisado Guatemalteco in a cast iron pan.
  1. Give it a taste, adjust the salt, and sprinkle with red pepper flakes (optional).
A person spooning Spanish stewed chicken with a wooden spoon.

How to Store

This Spanish chicken stew works great prepared ahead. It freezes perfectly and is even better when reheated. 

Store covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. Freeze in an airtight container or large freezer bag for up to three months. 

To reheat, return the thawed portion to a skillet or saucepan and heat until warmed through. If the sauce thickens too much thin it out with some additional broth.

How to Serve

Spanish chicken stew tastes best served immediately in a deep bowl with white rice (most typical for pollo guisado), egg noodles or creamy polenta.

A slice of thick-crust bread (the more rustic the better) is always welcome to mop up the juices. 

I usually serve this classic chicken stew with a refreshing Spanish Gin & Tonic or a Tropical Piña White Sangria. 

It’s a hearty dish that works great for cooler weather when you need something warm and comforting. Easy enough for weeknight dinners but also a great stew to serve for company.

Completed pollo guisado or Spanish chicken and chorizo stew in a white bowl.

Expert Tips

  • Make sure you use smoked paprika which is different from regular paprika. It adds a unique flavour that you don’t want to skip.
  • Use green olives without the pits or pimento.
  • Taste before adding salt. If using bouillon rather than chicken broth, watch the salt you add as it often contains higher amounts of salt.
  • If you use bone-in chicken thighs, increase the cooking time by 15 minutes. 

FAQs

Can chicken stew be made with skinless chicken thighs?

It’s possible but the skin actually adds flavour and keeps the chicken moister. My suggestion is to use the skin on chicken thighs and remove the skin after cooking and before eating if you prefer.

Where can I buy Spanish chorizo?

This type of chorizo can be found in many large supermarkets in the deli section or butchers that specialize in Spanish meats. Make sure you don’t buy Mexican chorizo which is raw rather than cured like the Spanish variety.

What makes stewed chicken tough?

Cooking chicken at too high of a temperature in insufficient liquid can make stewed chicken tough and rubbery. Chicken thighs have less of a tendency to become rubbery when stewed than chicken breasts. As well, if chicken has freezer burn it will be dried out and tougher than chicken that has been frozen properly or is fresh.

Spanish style chicken and chorizo stew in a white bowl with a fork and glass of water.

More Stew and Soup Recipes You’ll Enjoy

  • Guatemalan Black Bean Soup – Sopa de Frijol
  • Tapado – Guatemalan Seafood Soup with Coconut Milk
  • Hilachas – Guatemalan Shredded Beef Stew
  • Bacalao a la Vizcaina (Spanish Salt Cod Stew)

Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a comment further down if you REALLY like it. Thanks!

Spanish chicken and Chorizo Stew in a white bowl.
Print
4.95 from 34 votes

Easy Spanish Chicken Stew with Chorizo

This traditional Spanish chicken stew is a one-pot comfort dish featuring chicken thighs slow-braised in a velvety tomato sauce of white wine, oregano, cumin, thyme and paprika. It gets an extra hit of deep, rich flavour from garlic-rich chorizo and briny, green olives.  
Usually served with fluffy white rice, this easy chicken stew (or pollo guisado Guatemalteco as it's known in Guatemala) goes great with thick slices of crusty bread to mop up the sauce.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time35 mins
Total Time45 mins
Course: Main
Cuisine: Guatemalan, Latin American, Spanish
Servings: 6
Calories: 382kcal
Author: Michele Peterson
Cost: $10

Equipment

  • 1 Braising pan with lid

Ingredients

  • 5 oz chorizo sausage fully cooked, cured sausage
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
  • 6 chicken thighs skin on, boneless
  • ¼ cup white wine dry
  • 1 onion peeled and sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves peeled and minced
  • 1 teaspoon oregano dried
  • 1 teaspoon pimenton – Spanish paprika powder preferably smoked
  • ½ teaspoon cumin ground
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne or pimentón de padron (Spanish hot pepper powder)
  • ½ teaspoon thyme
  • 14 oz chopped tomatoes
  • 1 cup water or chicken stock
  • 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon if not using chicken stock
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 15 green olives pitted
  • ⅛ tsp sea salt to taste
  • ⅛ freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes optional
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

  • Remove casing from chorizo (if necessary). Cut chorizo into slices.
  • Heat a large braising pan with oil on medium heat. Brown the chorizo for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let the chorizo release a bit of juice and fat.
  • Trim excess fat and skin from the boneless chicken thighs.
  • Add the chicken thighs, skin down and cook for about 2-3 minutes. When the skin is browned, flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
  • Remove chorizo and chicken from the pan and set aside.
  • Add the white wine and deglaze the pan by scraping the browned bits with a wooden spoon.
  • In the same pan, add the chopped and sliced onion and garlic. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for about 2 minutes.
  • Add oregano, paprika, cumin, thyme and cayenne pepper. Stir all together.
  • Pour in the chopped tomatoes, water and chicken stock into the braising plan. Increase heat and bring to a low boil.
  • Transfer chicken thighs back into the casserole with the chorizo. Cover and bring to a simmer. Cook for 25 minutes or until tender.
  • Remove the cover and add honey and olives. Stir then cover and allow olives to heat through.
  • Add freshly ground black pepper and adjust salt. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes (if desired)
  • Serve with fluffy white rice and slices of thick-crust bread.

Notes

Make sure you use smoked paprika which is different from regular paprika. It adds a unique flavour that you don’t want to skip.
Use green olives without the pits or pimento.
Taste before adding salt. If using bouillon rather than chicken broth, watch the salt you add as it often contains higher amounts of salt.
If you use bone-in chicken thighs, increase the cooking time by 15 minutes. 
Want to skip the chorizo? Swap it out with garbanzo beans. Just drain a can of garbanzo beans (or cook from scratch in advance), then add during the last 10 minutes of cooking and cook until warm.
Want to add some cooked artichoke hearts as a special twist? Drain the artichokes, nestle them in the tomato sauce, and allow them to warm during the last 10 minutes of cooking. 
Nutritional information is created by online calculators so the figures are only estimates.

Nutrition

Calories: 382kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 486mg | Potassium: 431mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 983IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @ATasteForTravel or tag #ATasteForTravel!

Save to Pinterest! 

Bowl of Spanish chicken stew with Pinterest text overlay.
Michele Peterson
Michele Peterson

Dividing her time between Canada, Guatemala and Mexico (or the nearest tropical beach), Michele Peterson is the founder of A Taste for Travel. Her award-winning travel and food writing has appeared in Lonely Planet’s cookbook Mexico: From the Source, National Geographic Traveler, Fodor’s and 100+ other publications.

Read more about Michele Peterson.

« A Food Lovers’ Guide to a Holland America Canada & New England Cruise
10 Top Halifax Culinary Experiences »

About Michele Peterson

Dividing her time between Canada, Guatemala and Mexico (or the nearest tropical beach), Michele Peterson is the founder of A Taste for Travel. Her award-winning travel and food writing has appeared in Lonely Planet’s cookbook Mexico: From the Source, National Geographic Traveler, Fodor’s and 100+ other publications.

Read more about Michele Peterson.

Previous Post: «Rudi's Sel de Mer plate of food on Holland America Canada and New England Cruise. A Food Lovers’ Guide to a Holland America Canada & New England Cruise
Next Post: 10 Top Halifax Culinary Experiences Hodge Podge stew at Drift restaurant in Halifax.»

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Laurie

    November 22, 2022 at 7:08 pm

    4 stars
    Tasted pretty close to what I was hoping it would taste like. I used breast tenders not thighs and added a few artichoke hearts. Don’t skip the olives—they add a lot to the taste. Had Northern Spanish Chicken in a fine restaurant over 40 years ago and never forgot the taste. This was super close.

    Reply
    • Michele Peterson

      November 23, 2022 at 7:45 am

      Glad you enjoyed it! Artichokes are definitely a wonderful addition.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Michele Peterson in Tuscany Italy Credit Insight Vacations.

Hi, I'm Michele! Welcome to A Taste for Travel, one of the world’s top culinary travel blogs, welcoming over 1.5 million readers annually! 

Along with a team of expert travel writers, enthusiastic eaters and skilled photographers, we help readers plan incredible adventures and make delicious global recipes at home.

More about me →

Popular Posts

  • Insider’s Guide to Seaweed Conditions in Cancun and Riviera Maya in 2023
  • 19 Best Canned Sardine Recipes from Around the World
  • 20 Bucket List Things to Do in Bonaire
  • Best Caribbean Beaches Without Seaweed: Where to Go in 2023
  • 25 Bucket List Things to Do in Huatulco, Oaxaca
  • Pepián de Pollo – Guatemalan Spiced Chicken Stew

Trending Spring Travel

  • 9 Best Food Tours in Florence
  • The 10 Best Castle Hotels in Ireland
  • 25 Bucket List Things to Do in Paphos, Cyprus
  • The Perfect 7-day Azores Itinerary: Top Things to See and Do
  • 25 Guatemalan Festivals and Celebrations for Your Bucket List
  • The Best All-Inclusive Resorts in Cancun and Riviera-Maya
Download the free ebook with 5 easy to make Guatemalan recipes!
Booking.com

Site Footer

Follow A Taste for Travel

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2016–2023 A Taste for Travel