Chillo Frito con Tostones (Fried Snapper with Plantains)

Ingredients

• For the Pollo Guisado:
• 4 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs 🍗
• 1 tbsp olive oil 🫒
• 0.5 onion, diced 🧅
• 0.5 green bell pepper, diced 🌶️
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 🧄
• 2 tbsp sofrito 🌿
• 1 cup tomato sauce 🍅
• 0.5 cup chicken broth 🍲
• 0.5 tsp cumin
• 0.5 tsp oregano 🌿
• 0.5 tsp smoked paprika 🌶️
• 0.5 tsp sazón (with annatto) ✨
• 0.5 tsp adobo seasoning
• 0.5 tsp salt 🧂
• 0.25 tsp black pepper
• 2 small potatoes, diced 🥔
• 0.5 cup carrots, sliced 🥕
• 1 tbsp green olives (optional) 🫒
• 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped 🌿
• For the Arroz con Gandules:
• 1 tbsp olive oil 🫒
• 0.5 small onion, diced 🧅
• 1 tbsp sofrito 🌿
• 1 cup pigeon peas (gandules), drained 🫘
• 2 tbsp tomato sauce 🍅
• 0.5 tsp sazón (with annatto) ✨
• 0.5 tsp adobo seasoning
• 0.5 tsp oregano 🌿
• 2 cups long-grain white rice 🍚
• 3 cups chicken broth 🍲

Instructions

1. 1Make the Pollo Guisado
2. 21️⃣ Brown the Chicken – Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chicken thighs and sear on both sides until golden brown (about 4-5 minutes per side). Remove and set aside. 🍗🔥
3. 32️⃣ Sauté the Aromatics – In the same pot, sauté onion, bell pepper, and garlic until soft. Stir in sofrito and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. 🧄🌿
4. 43️⃣ Build the Stew – Add tomato sauce, chicken broth, cumin, oregano, paprika, sazón, adobo, salt, and black pepper. Stir well and bring to a simmer. 🍲✨
5. 54️⃣ Simmer Until Tender – Return the chicken to the pot, cover, and let simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Add potatoes, carrots, and olives (if using), then simmer for another 20 minutes until the chicken is tender and the sauce thickens. 🌿🔥
6. 6Make the Arroz con Gandules
7. 75️⃣ Sauté the Base – In a separate pot, heat olive oil and sauté onions until soft. Stir in sofrito, pigeon peas, tomato sauce, sazón, adobo, and oregano. Cook for 2 minutes. 🫘✨
8. 86️⃣ Cook the Rice – Add rice and stir to coat in the seasonings. Pour in chicken broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until rice is tender. 🍚🔥
9. 97️⃣ Fluff & Serve – Fluff the rice with a fork and serve alongside the Pollo Guisado. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Enjoy this comforting meal! 🍽️✨