Chicken Pochero is the perfect Sunday lunch! This Filipino stew is loaded with vegetables, beans, smoked sausage, and flavorful tomato broth for a delicious and filling meal!
Soups are one of my favorite things to make. Nothing warms up the belly and comforts the soul, in my opinion than a hearty bowl of soup. These one-pot meals are easy to put together yet delicious, filling in their simplicity.
Along with the delicious array of tinola, nilaga. sinigang, and bulalo, chicken pochero is one of the piping hot dishes we enjoy at home, even in warmer weather, and especially during chilly winters.
What is puchero
Puchero or Putsero, which means "stewpot," was brought to our shores by centuries-long Spanish colonization and adapted over the years to suit our local ingredients.
This peasant stew is composed of cuts of beef, chicken, pork, or fish cooked in tomato sauce along with fresh produce like potatoes, saba bananas, chickpeas, cabbage, pechay, and green beans, and cured meats such as Chorizo de Bilbao or ham to add a smoky flavor.
Ingredient notes
- Bone-in chicken delivers maximum flavor. You can use a whole chicken and cut it up into parts or your favorite choice of cuts, such as thighs or legs.
- You can swap the potatoes with sweet potatoes or the carrots with turnips for variety.
- Along with pechay and cabbage, other vegetables such as leeks, bok choy, and celery are also great additions.
- Garbanzo beans are the traditional legume used in the stew, but other regional versions use canned pork and beans.
- Saba bananas lend a touch of sweetness that works with the dish's savory notes. Choose ripe but firm bananas and briefly pan-fry to help maintain shape.
- Chorizo de Bilbao adds a smoky flavor; feel free to substitute bacon or ham.
Cooking tips
- Cut the ingredients into uniform sizes to ensure even cooking.
- Pan-fry potatoes and the saba bananas before adding them to the stew to keep them from falling apart.
How to serve and store
- Pocherong Manok is traditionally served as a Sunday lunch or on special occasions for the whole family to gather around. It's enjoyed as a hearty and satisfying meal with steamed rice.
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Reheat in the microwave at 2 to 3-minute intervals or in a saucepan over medium heat until the internal temperature reads 165 F.
More chicken recipes
Ingredients
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 3 saba bananas, peeled and halved
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 3 pounds chicken, cut into serving parts
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 3 cups water
- 2 chorizo de bilbao, cut into 1-inch thick pieces
- 1 cup garbanzo beans
- 12 pieces green beans, ends trimmed
- ½ napa cabbage, end trimmed and leaves halved
- 1 bunch pechay, ends trimmed and leaves separated
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add bananas and fry until lightly browned. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.
- Add potatoes and fry until lightly browned. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.
- Remove excess oil except for about 2 tablespoons. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened.
- Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and juices run clear.
- Add fish sauce and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add tomato sauce and water and bring to a boil, skimming any scum that accumulates on top.
- Lower heat, cover, and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked.
- Add potatoes and cook until tender.
- Add chorizo de bilbao, garbanzo beans, and bananas. Cook until heated through.
- Add green beans and napa cabbage and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add pechay and cook for about 1 minute or until vegetables are tender yet crisp. Serve hot.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Cut the ingredients into uniform sizes to ensure even cooking.
- Pan-fry potatoes and the saba bananas before adding them to the stew to keep them from falling apart.
Video
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
Jennifer Davis says
Madam is there chickpeas in a can or you have to make it? You also said that instead of that I can substitute it with pork and beans ? I also wonder if you can use chicken langgoniza instead of chorizo de bilbao..for I don't eat red meat! TY po...a kababayan from NY
Lalaine Manalo says
Yes, there are garbanzo beans in the can. You can find them at most grocery stores. You can substitute pork and beans, but I've never tried this with longganiza. I think it would work 🙂
Vhinz says
I think step 1, frying the chicken until lightly browned will lessen the game-y smell you mentioned.
Winston says
Is it okay to put a little bit of ginger, to get rid of a Haney taste.,thanks a lot.
Lalaine Manalo says
You can, if you like, but it will change the flavor.
Rochelle says
Always a big help especially for a new dish that has no idea like me! I'm looking for your recipe whenever I need a new dish to prepare tastefullly,God bless!
Peachy Forbes says
chicken poachero Recipe is simple, easy to cook with available ingredients easy to find at home or nearby groceries.
Lalaine says
Agree 🙂 It's easy, tasty comfort food.
Lalia says
Hi Ms. Lalaine, what type of beans I can substitute? kasi my son is allergic to garbanzo beans pwede bang pinto or kidney? Thank you po for the yummy recipes. Cook chicken tocino already ang it was a hit with my kids.
Lalaine Manalo says
I sometimes use pork and beans 🙂
Sid says
Hi Lalaine,
Great website and recipe for Chicken Pochero. Came out really flavorful, and light. The only deviation I did from the recipe, is to broil the chicken until it starts caramelizing and the tips are charred, after letting it simmer for about 30 minutes in the stew, or once it reached the internal temp of 165F, and then putting it back into the liquid. It helped put a little of "charred" look to the chicken, and gave the skin more texture.
Thanks again, and keep up the good work.
Sid
Lalaine Manalo says
Hi Sid! That sounds great. My mouth is watering thinking about it!
Raffaela says
Hi Lalaine
I have made this recipe as part of our Christmas dinner. It was a hit with the family.
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe, it's definitely a keeper.
Lalaine Manalo says
Yay! I am glad the family enjoyed it 🙂
Bambi Lava says
Hello;
I am going to try your recipe this weekend, I'm just concerned that sometimes when I cook chicken there is a game-y smell to it (malansa) do you think I can add some ginger to your recipe?
ricardo segovia says
NICE PHOTOGRAPHY.RECIPE TO BE TRIED.
Lalaine says
Thanks, Ricardo. Hope you do give this chicken pochero a try. So delicious 🙂
donna says
I so enjoy the recipes that you share. I have already tried a couple of them. I would love to try them all when I have the luxury of time to cook for my family. I have noticed however that you have some giveaways?..any chance your fans here in the Philippines could join? Anyway, THANK YOU for helping me bring joy to our dinner table.
Lalaine says
Hi Donna
The giveaways are open to Philippine readers as well. Please feel free to join 🙂
Kat Pasamanero says
Had this again for lunch! #favorite
My husband's first reaction was WOW! =)
After which he barely had time to react coz he was so into it.
Thank you Miss L for sharing your sumptuous recipes!
Happy Wife, Katsy. =)
Lalaine says
As they say, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. 🙂
NETH MUENA says
Thank you and good luck to the group,god bless.
Lalaine says
Thank you, Neth, for your support and kind words. 🙂