Sudado de Pollo

Ingredients

• 6chicken pieces, preferably thighs or drumsticks with thighs
• 3 largered tomatoes, chopped
• 1white onion, sliced, or spring onion
• 1/2red pepper (optional)
• 3 clovesgarlic, chopped or crushed
• 3red potatoes, peeled and halved or cut into larger pieces
• to tastecumin, colour seasoning and black pepper
• 1 tbspchicken stock powder or 1 stock cube (optional)
• to tastesalt and black pepper
• to tasteGoya seasoning or colour seasoning (optional)
• 2bay leaves
• to tastethyme
• 120 ml (1/2 cup)chicken stock, plus more if needed
• 6 portionsyuca
• 1 tspchicken stock powder
• 3 clovesgarlic, crushed
• 1/2lime, juiced
• 1 piecewhite onion
• 2 tbspvegetable oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the chicken

   Remove the skin and excess fat if you like, then season the chicken. Optionally, briefly brown the pieces in a little oil; this helps them colour and hold their shape. Lift them out, then loosen the browned bits in the pan with a little water or juice from the chopped tomatoes, and reserve this liquid.

2. 2

   Prepare the vegetables

   Peel and dice the tomatoes. Slice the onion and pepper, or grate them, and chop or crush the garlic; spring onion can be used instead of the white onion. Peel and halve the potatoes, or cut them into larger pieces, and keep them in a bowl of water.

3. 3

   Cook the yuca

   Clean and portion the yuca. Put it in a pressure cooker with a piece of onion, 3 crushed garlic cloves, the juice of 1/2 lime, 1 tsp chicken stock powder and enough water to cover it slightly. Cook under pressure for 12 minutes. If the yuca is tender and does not need pressure cooking, cook it with the stew instead.

4. 4

   Hold the yuca

   When the yuca has cooked, release the pressure and open the cooker. Leave the yuca in the cooking liquid until you are ready to drain it and add it to the stew.

5. 5

   Soften the onion

   Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until transparent, then add the chopped garlic, or 1 tbsp garlic paste, and cook for 1 minute.

6. 6

   Cook the tomato base

   Add cumin, colour seasoning, salt and pepper to taste, the chicken stock powder or cube, Goya seasoning or extra colour if using, the tomatoes, pepper and herbs. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring as the vegetables soften.

7. 7

   Simmer the chicken

   Add the chicken and 120 ml chicken stock, along with the reserved pan liquid if you browned the chicken. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

8. 8

   Add the potatoes

   Add the potatoes, cover the pot and cook for a further 25 minutes, or until they are soft.

9. 9

   Add the yuca

   Drain the cooked yuca and add it to the pot. Let everything cook together until the potatoes are tender.

10. 10

    Check the sauce

    The 120 ml stock and liquid released by the chicken should be enough. If the pot is getting dry, add water or stock a little at a time; the finished stew should have a sauce rather than be watery.

11. 11

    Serve the stew

    Serve hot with the sauce, white rice, avocado and chopped coriander or parsley. For a lower-carbohydrate accompaniment, serve it with either the yuca or the potato, or leave out the rice and add a generous salad.

What is sudado de pollo?

Sudado de pollo is a Colombian home-style stew in which chicken cooks gently with vegetables and a savoury tomato base. The word sudado refers to the covered, moist cooking that lets the ingredients release liquid and mingle their flavours.

This version pairs chicken with potatoes and yuca, a starchy root often served with Colombian meals. Cooking the yuca separately first helps it keep its shape while the chicken and potatoes finish in the sauce.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 465 calories, 33g protein, 57g carbs, 14g fat.

The potatoes and yuca supply most of the carbohydrates, while the chicken provides most of the protein. Chicken skin and the cooking oil contribute much of the fat; stock powder or a stock cube can add a substantial amount of sodium. To balance the plate, choose either rice, potatoes or yuca as the main starchy side and add salad or another non-starchy vegetable.

Build a flavourful base

Tomatoes: peeled and chopped tomatoes break down into the stew’s sauce as they cook. Ripe, juicy ones also help provide moisture.

Aromatics: onion, garlic and optional red pepper soften in the oil before the chicken goes in. Cumin, thyme, bay leaves and colour seasoning add the recipe’s characteristic savoury notes.

Choose how to prepare the chicken

Browning: a brief, optional sear gives the chicken colour and helps the pieces hold together. Scrape the browned bits from the pan into a little water or tomato juice and add that flavourful liquid to the stew.

Skin: the recipe allows for chicken with or without skin. Removing it makes the pot less rich, while leaving it on gives the sauce more body.

Get the yuca tender

Pressure cooking: cook the yuca with onion, garlic, lime and stock powder for 12 minutes, with water just covering it slightly. Follow your pressure cooker’s instructions for releasing pressure before opening it.

Check: yuca varies in how quickly it softens, so use the recipe’s alternative if yours is already tender enough to cook with the stew. Drain pressure-cooked yuca before adding it to the pot.

Watch the potatoes and sauce

Potatoes: add them after the chicken has simmered for 15 minutes, then cook covered for another 25 minutes. They should be soft when pierced, but not so broken down that they disappear into the sauce.

Moisture: start with 120 ml stock and let the chicken and tomatoes contribute their own liquid. If the pot is drying out before the potatoes are tender, add a little extra water or stock at a time.

Serve it the Colombian way

Traditional plate: serve the stew hot with white rice and avocado, spooning plenty of sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Chopped coriander or parsley adds a fresh finish.

Lighter balance: because the meal already includes potatoes and yuca, you can choose just one of them or skip the rice and add a salad alongside.

Recipe notes & tips

• Keep the potatoes in water after cutting so they do not discolour before they go into the pot.
• If browning the chicken, work in batches so the pieces colour rather than steam.
• Scrape up the browned bits from the pan and save them for the stew.
• Add extra stock or water gradually to keep the sauce from becoming too thin.
• Check the potatoes for tenderness before serving, as their size affects how quickly they cook.

Variations

• Use spring onion: swap it for the white onion if that is what you have.
• Skip the pepper: leave out the optional red pepper for a simpler tomato base.
• Choose one starch: serve the stew with potato or yuca rather than both.
• Add fresh herbs: finish with chopped coriander or parsley as suggested for serving.
• Adjust the seasoning: use Goya seasoning or colour seasoning to taste, or leave out the optional seasoning.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overcooking the yuca: check whether it needs pressure cooking and use the recipe’s option to cook tender yuca with the stew.
• Adding the potatoes too early: wait until the chicken has simmered for 15 minutes so they do not cook for too long.
• Letting the pot dry out: add a small amount of water or stock when the sauce begins to reduce too far.
• Making the sauce watery: add extra liquid gradually and stop once there is enough sauce to coat the ingredients.
• Skipping the pan juices: if you brown the chicken, loosen the browned bits and add that liquid to the pot.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and use within 3 days. Reheat gently in a covered pan until piping hot throughout, adding a splash of water or stock if the sauce has thickened; potatoes and yuca may soften further.

Frequently asked questions