Tired of beef stew and chili yet?
Soups and stews are staples of winter cooking, but most of us only have a few standards that we don’t even need a recipe to make. For many people with roots in the Dominican Republic, like second baseman Robinson Canó, pollo guisado is one of those stews.
Canó, a former Yankee who now plays for the Mariners, shared a leaner version of his family's recipe for a new book from "Top Chef" alum Angelo Sosa and popular New York radio host Angie Martinez called "Healthy Latin Eating: Our Favorite Family Recipes Remixed" (Kyle Book, $22.95). Instead of using a whole chicken, his lower-fat version uses boneless, skinless chicken breasts and lots of vegetables.
Pollo Guisado
To make the garlic paste that boosts the flavor in this dish, hit the clove with the flat part of a knife, sprinkle kosher salt on top of the flattened (and peeled) garlic and then drag the knife over the garlic to break down the fibers with the coarse granules of salt.
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
2 medium green bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
4 plum tomatoes, cut into quarters
1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 medium baking potato, unpeeled, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup pitted green olives
1 small clove garlic, mashed into a paste with a little kosher salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 sprigs fresh oregano
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 dried bay leaf
1 tsp. agave nectar
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 lemons, cut in half
Kosher salt, to taste
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
In a large bowl, combine the chicken strips, vegetables, spices, herbs, agave, and tomato paste. Squeeze the juice from the lemons over the chicken mixture and season with a pinch of salt. Toss to combine and marinate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and sear in the pan until browned, 8 to 10 minutes, turning as needed. Reserve the marinade and the vegetables.
When the chicken is seared, add enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Add the reserved marinade and vegetables and cover the pan with a tightfitting lid. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until all the ingredients are tender and the chicken is cooked through, adding more water if necessary, about 10 minutes. Season with salt. Serves 4.
— From "Healthy Latin Eating: Our Favorite Family Recipes Remixed" (Kyle Book, $22.95) by Angie Martinez and Angelo Sosa
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