Close
Active Time:1 hr 15 minsTotal Time:1 hr 45 minsServings:8Jump to Nutrition Facts
Active Time:1 hr 15 minsTotal Time:1 hr 45 minsServings:8
Active Time:1 hr 15 mins
Active Time:
1 hr 15 mins
Total Time:1 hr 45 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 45 mins
Servings:8
Servings:
8
Jump to Nutrition Facts
Jump to recipe
My mother-in-law, Liz, is a very particular eater. She does not eat beef, pork, cheese, dairy, cooked carrots, bread or greasy things. She doesn’t mind if you eat these things—in fact, she might even cook them for you. But if she does, she will cook her own food on the side.
When I met my in-laws, my mission was to impress them with food. I’ve been known to rely on my charms and good looks in winning people over; my in-laws, however, are a different breed. They are cool New Englanders with an intellectual default, and my warm bubbly Mexican charm often falls flat with them. In order to win them over, I was going to have to pull out all the stops. I decided to cook for them one of my grandmother’s signature dishes.
Abuelita Emma’s estofado de pollo is different. I’m not even sure if it is an estofado or a guisado, both of which are Spanish words for stew. I’ve tried to find out if it does have a commonly known name, but I cannot find this recipe anywhere in the public domain. My grandmother was the only person I’ve ever known to make it this way.
When I think about what makes this recipe so delicious, it’s one of the things that makes Mexico such an interesting place; it is a mix of many different cultures. You can see the layers of the history of Mexico in the ingredients of this dish—sweet plantains, raisins, almonds, olives, capers, bay leaf, cinnamon, jalapeños and chicken in a tomato-based stew.
Cooking my abuelita’s recipe in my mother-in-law’s kitchen would be a test in and of itself. A person that is particular about her eating would also be particular about her cookware. She did not have the same kitchen devices that I have at home; instead of a blender I used her food processor. Luckily I was able to find all of the ingredients at the local supermarket.
I gave myself a long time to prepare dinner since it would take a couple of hours to make the stew along with beans and rice to serve with it. When I started cooking I had to ask Liz which pan I could use for what and she directed me to the correct cutting board. She was surprised to see how dark the plantains were. I explained to her that we used them when they had lots of dark spots. This is how to get a sweet fried plantain. She was pleased to learn something new. She left me alone most of the time but she did pepper me with more questions while I cooked.
Before I ladled the stew into bowls, I told everyone about the history of this dish. How my abuelita was the only person I’d ever known that made it, and how special both she and it were to me. I served everyone the stew along with a plate of rice and beans and some warm corn tortillas. I did not take a bite until everyone else had tried the food. I held my breath as I watched them eat. First there was a chorus of mmm’s. Then my mother-in-law said, “This is delicious! You have to give me the recipe!” My heart swelled with pride and relief. She liked my food. My abuelita would have been proud.
Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)Ingredients8cupswater1mediumonion, peeled and halved, divided10clovesgarlic, peeled, divided2bay leaves1teaspoonsalt1whole chicken (4-5 pounds), cut into 8 pieces¼cupraw almonds6plum tomatoes, cored¾cupcanola oil2mediumplantains, peeled and sliced on the diagonal 1/4-inch thick¼cupraisins1cuppitted Castelvetrano olives¼cupcapers, rinsed2jalapeño peppers1cinnamon stickWarm corn tortillas for serving
Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)
Ingredients
8cupswater
1mediumonion, peeled and halved, divided
10clovesgarlic, peeled, divided
2bay leaves
1teaspoonsalt
1whole chicken (4-5 pounds), cut into 8 pieces
¼cupraw almonds
6plum tomatoes, cored
¾cupcanola oil
2mediumplantains, peeled and sliced on the diagonal 1/4-inch thick
¼cupraisins
1cuppitted Castelvetrano olives
¼cupcapers, rinsed
2jalapeño peppers
1cinnamon stick
Warm corn tortillas for serving
Directions
Combine water, 1/2 onion, 4 garlic cloves, bay leaves and salt in a large pot. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add chicken and reduce heat to medium. Cook, uncovered, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a piece of chicken without touching bone registers 165°F, about 20 minutes.
Combine tomatoes and the remaining onion half and 6 garlic cloves in a blender; puree until smooth, about 1 minute. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat until shimmering. Cook plantains in 2 batches, turning halfway, until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon. Add the almonds to the pot; cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the plantains with a slotted spoon. Add raisins to the pot; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Transfer to the plate with the plantains with a slotted spoon.
Add the tomato mixture to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture turns a deeper shade of red, 5 to 10 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the broth to a plate. Strain the broth (discard the solids).
Add olives, capers, jalapeños, cinnamon stick and 6 cups of the broth to the pot with the tomato mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Stir in the raisins, almonds, plantains and chicken. Discard the cinnamon stick and jalapeños. Serve the stew with tortillas, if desired.
Originally appeared: EatingWell.com, October 2022
Rate ItPrint
Nutrition Facts(per serving)465Calories32gFat23gCarbs24gProtein
Nutrition Facts(per serving)
- Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.
