Peruvian Chicken Stew (Estofado de Pollo)

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Steps

1. 1
   Prepare the bone broth: Place roasted chicken carcass/bones (caramelized in the oven) in a pot with cold water. Add mirepoix (onion, celery, carrot), garlic, parsley stems, and bay leaf as a bouquet garni. Start from cold water for expansion cooking to extract maximum flavor. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30-45 minutes.

   Tip: Never start with hot water - cold water extraction pulls more flavor from the bones. Less water = more concentrated and potent broth.

   ~45 min
2. 2
   Brine and break down the chicken: The whole chicken should have been soaked in a 10% salt brine for 5 hours. Break it down into pieces (legs, thighs, breasts cut in half near the wing, wings). Optionally perform the French 'mayoner' technique - trim around the bone ends, remove excess cartilage and skin to expose clean bones for an elegant presentation. Use a small saw to cut bone ends cleanly.

   Tip: The brine ensures seasoning penetrates deep into the meat. The mayoner is purely aesthetic but makes the presentation much more elegant.

   ~15 min
3. 3
   Sear the chicken: Heat a heavy pot (the same one you will stew in) without oil until very hot, then add a generous amount of oil. Place chicken pieces skin-side down first. Do not move them for at least 5 minutes to achieve proper caramelization. Flip pieces with skin on both sides; for thighs with skin only on one side, sear only the skin side. Remove chicken and set aside, reserving the caramelized fond on the bottom of the pot.

   Tip: Always sear in the same pot you will stew in - using a separate pan wastes all the flavorful fond. Remove excess fat but save it in case you need it later.

   ~12 min
4. 4
   Build the aderezo: In the same pot with the fond, add onions and saute until they pick up the caramelized bits from the bottom. Add garlic paste and cook. Add bay leaves, dried mushrooms (optional), crushed oregano, salt, cumin, and black pepper. Cook until everything is well caramelized and concentrated (ojos de sapo stage).

   Tip: Start with onion before garlic - the onion's moisture protects the garlic from burning. The grease from searing is a flavor vehicle.

   ~10 min
5. 5
   Add aji panca paste (about 1.25 tablespoons) and cook briefly. Add tomato paste (about 1 tablespoon) and stir. Add grated fresh tomato (1.5 tomatoes) for freshness and liquid. Pour in white wine and let it reduce. This transforms the aderezo from generic to distinctly Peruvian.

   Tip: If you cannot find aji panca, try gochujang (Korean chili paste) as a substitute. The aji panca is not for heat but for color and depth.

   ~8 min
6. 6
   Add the potato cubes (large ones for serving, plus small ones that will dissolve to thicken the sauce) and carrot rounds to the pot. Ladle in the homemade bone broth to cover. Taste and adjust seasoning. Bring to a strong boil.

   Tip: The carrot adds natural sweetness to balance the acidity from tomato and wine - no need to add sugar. The small potatoes are a natural thickener.

   ~5 min
7. 7
   Once boiling, nestle the seared chicken pieces into the stew. Place boneless breast pieces on top (they need less cooking), and push bone-in pieces deeper into the liquid. Cover and cook for about 10-13 minutes.

   Tip: Check doneness by poking to the bone with a skewer: blood = not done, clear liquid = done, nothing comes out = overcooked.

   ~13 min
8. 8
   Add raisins and green peas in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Stir gently to coat chicken pieces with sauce. Uncover and let the liquid reduce slightly to achieve a sauce consistency rather than a soup. Finish with chopped fresh parsley, reserving some for garnish.

   Tip: The peas and raisins only need a few minutes - adding them too early will make the peas mushy and dull in color.

   ~5 min
9. 9
   Prepare the rice: Heat oil with garlic in a pot until fragrant. Add salt and hot water (2 cups), bring to a boil, add 2 cups of rice, wait for it to return to a boil, then reduce to minimum heat, cover, and cook for 15-18 minutes without lifting the lid.

   Tip: Equal parts rice to water. Use hot water to speed up the process. Taste the seasoned water before adding rice - it should be slightly salty.

   ~18 min
10. 10
    Plate the dish: Mound rice on the plate. Arrange chicken pieces (breast, thigh, leg) alongside. Spoon potatoes, carrots, peas, and raisins around. Ladle the sauce generously over the chicken and rice. Garnish with chopped parsley and whole parsley leaves.

    Tip: Serve a combination of pieces per plate - ideally a breast piece with a leg or thigh. The jugo (sauce) soaking into the rice is essential to the experience.

Nutrition (per serving)

Giacomo Bocchio

TE ENSEÑO A PREPARAR ESTOFADO DE POLLO | GIACOMO BOCCHIO

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