Chicken and Chorizo Stew

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Chicken Chorizo Stew is a hearty, flavor-packed dish perfect for cozy dinners. The smoky richness of chorizo beautifully complements tender chicken, vibrant vegetables, and a spiced broth that warms you from the inside out. This one-pot wonder is easy to make and delivers big, comforting flavors in every bite.

Pasta bowl with chicken chorizo stew and white rice.

Chicken Chorizo Stew pairs great with fluffy Arroz Blanco (White Rice), Puerto Rican Yellow Rice, or pasta if you omit the potatoes, a chilled glass of Tropical Red Sangria, followed by a piece of spongy and sweet Panetela, a guava-stuffed cake.

If you want more soups and stews, check out Shrimp and Butternut Squash Bisque, a comforting soup with the sweetness of butternut squash and briny shrimp. Carne Guisada always hits the spot, especially when you want to transport yourself to the Caribbean in the winter months. White Chili With Ground Chicken has a mixture of ground chicken, pork, and white beans. Asopao de Pollo is a traditional chicken soup from Puerto Rico served after parties and on cooler weather, but all-in-all a warm comforting soup any time of the year. Last but not least, Mushroom Soup will leave you satisfied with its earthy tones and flavors.

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Why you'll love this recipe
Ingredient Notes
Variations and Substitutions
How to make Chicken Chorizo Stew
Top Tip
Expert Tips
Recipe FAQs
More Soups and Stews Recipes
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Why you'll love this recipe

Packed with smoky, savory flavors: The combination of chorizo, paprika, and sazón creates a rich and bold taste that satisfies your craving for comfort food.
Simple to prepare with easy-to-find ingredients: Most ingredients are pantry staples or easily available, making it convenient to whip up any time.
Perfect for cozy dinners or gatherings: Its hearty and flavorful nature makes it an excellent dish for a weeknight family meal or to impress guests at a dinner party.
Versatile and customizable to suit your taste: You can easily swap ingredients or add veggies to adapt the recipe to your preferences.
A hearty, one-pot meal that saves on cleanup: Everything cooks in a single pan, blending flavors beautifully while keeping cleanup quick and easy.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients for chicken chorizo stew: 1-chicken thighs, 2-seasonings for chicken, 3-garlic paste, 4-achiote oil, 5-chorizo, 6-tomato paste, 7-onions/sweet peppers, 8-sofrito/garlic paste. 9-canned tomatoes/broth, 10-white wine, 11-baby potatoes, 12-olives and capers.

Chicken thighs: Tender and flavorful.
Chorizo: Smoky and spiced, adding depth.
Puerto Rican seasonings: Achiote oil, sofrito, and garlic paste provide the traditional set of Puerto Rican flavors, complementing the chorizo and the chicken excellently.

See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.

Variations and Substitutions

Swap it: Swap chicken thighs for drumsticks or boneless chicken if preferred.
More Veggies Please!: Add vegetables like bell peppers or carrots for extra color and texture.
Make it your own: Replace sazón with a mix of cumin, coriander, and turmeric for a homemade touch.
Make it milder: For a milder dish, use smoked sausage or turkey sausage as a lighter alternative to spicy chorizo.
Veganize it!: Find a vegan alternative to chorizo and substitute the chicken with portabella mushrooms, eggplant, zucchini, or hearty root vegetables like sweet potatoes.

How to make Chicken Chorizo Stew

Steps for making chicken chorizo stew steps 1 to 4: 1-seasoning chicken, 2-heating olive oil in a red cast iron Dutch oven, 3-searing chicken on one side, 4-searing chicken on the second side.

Season chicken with adobo seasoning, cumin, paprika, oregano, and garlic paste. Marinate for at least thirty minutes to an hour or up to 24 hours.
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepot to medium-high heat.
Add Chicken skin side down and sear until it is a nice golden brown and the skin is crispy.
Turn chicken and sear on the other side. The chicken should not be fully cooked.

Steps for chicken chorizo stew steps 5 to 8: 5-sauteing vegetables, 6-adding sofrito, garlic paste, and bay leaves, 7-adding ground chorizo, 8-adding achiote oil.

Once the chicken is seared, remove them from the pot and begin to soften the onions and peppers.
Add sofrito, garlic paste, and bay leaves as the vegetables become soft and translucent.
Add ground chorizo, and begin to cook to render fat and flavor.
Add achiote oil and heat through.

Steps for chicken chorizo stew 9-12: 9-adding tomato paste to pot, 10- Dutch oven with tomatoes, potatoes, and sauteed vegetables, 11-chicken is reincorporated into the Dutch Oven along with white wine, 12-adding chicken stock to the Dutch oven where the other ingredients for chicken chorizo stew are in.

Add tomato paste. Allow the paste to cook and caramelize. Caramelizing the paste changes the flavor profile of the tomato paste giving it a sweet tone.
Add canned tomatoes and potatoes and incorporate.
Add wine (I used white wine, but red wine would work just as well) deglaze the pot, then reincorporate the chicken.
Add broth. As needed, check for seasoning and add more cumin, paprika, oregano, or adobo.

step 13: adding capers and olives to the Dutch oven where the chicken chorizo stew is in.

Finally, add olives and capers. Cover the pot and allow it to cook on low for 20-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked and the potatoes tender.

Top Tip

Let the chicken marinate for at least thirty minutes to an hour to maximize flavor.

Expert Tips

Sizzle: Sear the chicken and chorizo thoroughly to develop a rich, caramelized base.
A touch of wine: Deglaze the pan with a splash of wine or chicken broth to lift all the delicious browned bits.
Simmer to perfection: Cook the stew on low heat for a longer time to allow the flavors to meld beautifully.
How to serve: Serve with crusty bread or rice to soak up the flavorful broth.
Storage: Transfer leftover stew to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days. Make sure it cools to room temperature before sealing.
- Freezing: For longer storage, freeze the stew in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Leave some space at the top for expansion.
- Chilling: If freezing, let the stew cool completely in the fridge before transferring to the freezer to avoid ice crystals forming.
- Reheating: Warm on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. If reheating from frozen, thaw in the fridge overnight first. You can also microwave individual portions, but stir halfway through for even heating.
- Adding Liquid: If the stew thickens too much during storage, add a splash of water or chicken broth while reheating to restore the consistency.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes! This stew tastes even better the next day as the flavors have more time to meld.

What kind of chorizo should I use?

Use Spanish or Mexican chorizo, depending on your preference. Spanish chorizo is cured and slices easily, while Mexican chorizo is fresh and crumbles when cooked.

Can I use a different protein?

Absolutely! Swap chicken for turkey, pork, or even a plant-based alternative for a vegetarian version.

How do I thicken the stew?

Let it simmer uncovered to reduce the liquid, or stir in a slurry made with cornstarch and water.

What sides go well with this?

Serve with crusty bread, rice, mashed potatoes, mofongo, or funche to soak up the delicious broth.

More Soups and Stews Recipes

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