One Pot Mexican Pollo Guisado Recipe with Potatoes

Bring everyone to the table with a pollo guisado recipe that simmers chicken thighs and potatoes in tomatoes, smoky chipotle, and a touch of cinnamon. Serve with white rice and let everyone spoon over as much sauce as they like. This one is definitely a family favorite!

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What Is Pollo Guisado?

Pollo guisado (pronounced po-yo guee-sah-doh) means “stewed or braised chicken” in Spanish, with vegetables and seasonings that vary from kitchen to kitchen.

The chicken simmers in a velvety sauce until succulent and tender, and can be combined with everything from bell peppers to sweet potatoes.

This Mexican version combines bone-in chicken thighs with poblano peppers, chipotles in adobo, tomatoes, and Mexican oregano, while potatoes cook alongside the chicken and soak up the broth.

The chicken gets doused in a gorgeous spice rub that includes a touch of cinnamon which might not be the first thing you reach for when seasoning chicken, but it deserves a spot here.

A small amount rounds out the tomatoes and smoky chiles without taking over the sauce. I’d measure it carefully rather than shake it straight from the jar—half a teaspoon does its job.

You can adjust this recipe to your tastes but don’t skip the potatoes. They simmer alongside the chicken, soaking up the flavorful sauce and chicken juices until a fork slips through them.

Cut them in halves before they go in, so you aren’t waiting on one stubborn potato while everyone’s ready for dinner.

Why You’ll Love This Pollo Guisado Recipe

• A family dinner in one pot. Tender chicken and potatoes simmer together, giving you a hearty meal with fewer dishes.
• Plenty of sauce for rice. Tomatoes, chipotle, and garlic make a sauce so delicious you’ll want to drink it by the cupful!
• Basically hands-off cooking. Once the lid goes on, the stew needs only occasional checking while you finish dinner.
• Lunch for tomorrow. Leftovers reheat well and taste even better the next day.

Ingredients

• Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs: Dark meat stays juicy while becoming fall off the bone tender; choose similarly sized thighs and save my pollo con crema for another saucy chicken dinner.
• Kosher salt: I use Morton kosher salt to season the chicken; other brands measure differently by volume.
• Ground chipotle: Adds so much flavor to the chicken; find it in the spice aisle or use mild chili powder for less heat.
• Cumin: Adds earthy flavor beneath the tomatoes and chiles; look for ground cumin in the spice aisle.
• Garlic powder: Distributes garlic flavor evenly over the chicken; avoid garlic salt, which adds extra salt.
• Cinnamon: Adds warmth to the tomato-chipotle sauce.
• White pepper: Adds a peppery bite; find it beside black pepper in the spice aisle or substitute freshly ground black pepper.
• Olive oil: I reach for California Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil for browning because I find California olive oil fresher than imported options.
• Onion: Adds sweetness as it softens in the chicken drippings; white or yellow works, and any extra can go into a pot of black beans.
• Poblano: Adds green chile flavor; find it near the jalapeños in the produce section or substitute green bell pepper for a milder flavor.
• Chipotles in adobo: Give the sauce smoky heat; find the cans in the Mexican foods aisle and put leftover chiles to work in chicken tinga.
• Fresh garlic: Stir briefly before adding the tomatoes so it doesn’t scorch.
• Tomato paste: Gives the sauce concentrated tomato flavor; buy the tomato paste in the tube instead of the canned, it lasts much longer.
• Roma tomatoes: Soften into a chunky sauce; substitute other ripe plum tomatoes and include their juices.
• Chicken broth: Loosens the browned bits and provides simmering liquid; swap in prepared chicken bouillon according to its package directions.
• Yellow potatoes: Use baby Yukon Golds and peel and cut them in half.
• Bay leaf: Adds a subtle herbal flavor while the stew simmers. If you can find fresh bay leaves—use them!
• Mexican oregano: Adds citrusy herbal flavor; find it in the Mexican foods aisle or substitute regular dried oregano for a slightly different flavor.
• Fresh cilantro: Brightens the finished sauce; find it near the parsley in the produce section or omit it if you prefer.

How to Make Mexican Pollo Guisado

Step 1: Season the Chicken

1. Arrange the chicken pieces on a baking sheet and pat them dry using paper towels.
2. In a small bowl, combine the salt, chipotle chile powder, cumin, garlic powder, cinnamon and white pepper. Stir to combine.
3. Sprinkle the chicken all over with the spice mix. You will use all the spice mix on both sides of the chicken.

Step 2: Brown the Chicken

1. Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet or small Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Place the chicken, skin side down, into the hot oil.
3. Sear for 4–5 minutes per side until lightly golden. Remove the chicken and set aside on a plate.

Step 3: Build the Flavor Base

1. Reduce heat to medium heat. Add the diced onion and poblano pepper to the pot. Season with salt and pepper and sauté for 3–4 minutes until soft.
2. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Pour in the tomatoes, chicken broth, chipotles, bay leaf, and oregano. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon for deep flavor.

Step 4: Simmer to Perfection

1. Return the chicken and accumulated juices back to the skillet.
2. Add the potatoes.
3. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to medium low or low heat until it is just barely simmering.
4. Cover and simmer for 25–30 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F.

Step 5: Serve

1. Remove the bay leaves and stir in the cilantro. Taste and add more salt if needed.
2. Ladle the chicken, flavorful broth, and potatoes over a bed of rice. Serve with warm corn tortillas. Buen provecho!

A Few Things I’d Watch

• Keep the potatoes even. An oversized piece can need longer than everything else to cook.
• Choose the heat thoughtfully. Mild chili powder and one canned chipotle make a gentler stew, though some heat remains.
• Expect soft chicken skin. Browning adds deep flavor, but covered cooking softens the skin.
• Check tenderness, too. Chicken can reach its minimum temperature before becoming as tender as you’d like; continue simmering gently if needed.

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Slow Cooker Pollo Guisado

Season and brown the chicken, then prepare the sauce through Step 3. Place the potatoes in the slow cooker, followed by the chicken and sauce.

Cover and cook on low for approximately 6–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours, until the potatoes are tender and the chicken reaches 165°F. Remove the bay leaf and stir in the 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro.

What I’d Serve Alongside

This dish has a ton of flavor so you don’t need much more than some steamed rice and maybe a lovely margarita made with some really good tequila.

But if you want to go a bit further, I’d serve it with some cilantro lime rice to catch the sauce and Mexican cucumber salad for something cool and crunchy.

For a bigger family dinner, add calabacitas or warm Mexican cornbread muffins to scoop up the last spoonful.

Saving Leftovers

Refrigerate in shallow containers within two hours of cooking for up to 5-6 days. Reheat gently over medium heat until warmed through.

Freeze for up to three months in an airtight container; thaw in the refrigerator overnight. The potatoes will loose their texture in the freezer so expect softer potatoes after frozen.