An epicurean adventure to: Ecuador
Transport your tastebuds to the beautiful Ecuador with Seco de Pollo, an aromatic chicken stew bursting with an abundance of fresh flavours.
Seco de Pollo is a much-beloved comfort food in parts of South America, specifically Ecuador and Peru. It features succulent chicken pieces cooked in a perfectly seasoned tomato-pepper sauce, loaded with fresh herbs and spices, accented by mild citrus flavours and a gentle, warming chilli heat.
We've adapted the recipe slightly, swapping a few hard-to-find ingredients for more globally accessible options, whilst maintaining the authentic spirit of the dish.
Traditionally, Seco de Pollo is served over Arroz Amarillo (yellow rice) and sides of sliced avocado and fried plantain. Just beautiful!
Our recipe stays true to the herbaceous, slightly spicy Ecuadorian flavours that make this stew so satisfying. Whip up a batch and enjoy a taste of South America right at home.
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Fast facts - Ecuador
Location | Ecuador is a country located in South America, bordered by Colombia to the north, Peru to the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. |
Capital | Quito. |
Language | The official language of Ecuador is Spanish. It's widely spoken and used for communication, administration and education throughout the country. |
Population | Circa 17.5 million people. |
Trivia | Ecuador holds the distinction of being the first nation to grant constitutional rights to nature. In 2008, Ecuador officially acknowledged that nature possesses inherent rights, including the right to exist, flourish and rejuvenate its essential processes without human interference. This pioneering move emphasised the recognition of Pachamama, the revered Mother Earth in various indigenous communities within Ecuador. The country's ground-breaking approach serves as a model for global efforts to advocate for the environment and uphold the rights of nature. |
What's to love about this recipe
- Succulent, fall-off-the-bone chicken simmered in a flavourful sauce.
- Easy recipe and a relatively quick one-pot preparation.
- Globally accessible ingredients make it easy to recreate at home.
- Comforting and hearty served over rice with sliced avocados.
- Versatile stew, great for meal prepping or feeding a crowd.
- Nourishing and protein-packed.
- Ecuadorian chicken stew is satisfying soul food, perfect for chilly nights.
- Impress guests with a lesser-known South American classic.
Key ingredient notes and substitutions
**Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full list of ingredients.
The veggies
You'll need about 300g of tomatoes. Get large, ripe ones if possible. If your tomatoes are smaller, just use enough to reach 300g total weight.
We'll also use one large red bell pepper - halve it lengthwise and reserve half for the sauce and half for the stew.
For the onion, peel and chop to yield around 150g. This equates to roughly one medium-large onion.
The herbs
One of Seco de Pollo's signature flavour notes is an abundance of fresh coriander (cilantro) and parsley.
You'll want about 30g each of coriander and parsley, which is roughly a large supermarket bunch of each (this will depend on your supermarket!).
Half of the coriander and half of the parsley go into the sauce. We'll chop and add the other halves to the cooked stew at the end for a fresh, herby aroma.
Don't skimp on the garlic! Five large cloves, more if they're small.
The spices
The spices needed are cumin, paprika and chilli flakes. The half teaspoon of chilli flakes in the recipe substitutes for one Aji chilli pepper, which may be unavailable outside South America. You can also use a quarter teaspoon of cayenne pepper instead.
For the salt, add one teaspoon to the chicken dry rub. You will likely need to taste the sauce towards the end of cooking to see if more seasoning is needed. We tend to add another half a teaspoon or so.
Brown sugar
The brown sugar will help balance the acidity of some ingredients and assist with browning the chicken. You can use white sugar instead but use a bit less, around two tablespoons. Feel free to omit sugar completely if you're avoiding it.
Olive oil
We use olive oil instead of achiote oil, as the latter may be hard to source outside the Americas. To compensate, we add more paprika to the dish.
Achiote oil is derived from annatto seeds and infused with the red-orange pigments of the achiote tree. It originated in tropical Americas and is used to add colour and earthy flavour to Latin dishes.
The liquids
Traditionally, Seco de Pollo uses naranjilla juice (from naranja agría). We replace this with orange juice, which works well as a substitute if naranjilla is unavailable.
For the beer, use a light, pale beer instead of dark beer to avoid any bitterness in the stew. Look for a pale ale, IPA, blonde or Weissbier style.
The chicken
Lastly, the star ingredient! We prefer using chicken thighs or drumsticks for Seco de Pollo.
Chicken thighs and drumsticks are often favoured for stews because their higher fat content and darker meat become very tender and flavourful when slow-cooked. Unlike lean chicken breasts, they won't dry out or get stringy.
Want to make it in the crockpot instead?
Although we haven't tested this recipe in the crockpot ourselves, we're delighted to learn from users like Jennifer that it turned out excellently for them.
I made this dish in my crockpot (2 hours on low) following the recipe above. It was delicious and unique. My guests were impressed and enjoyed it very much.
~Jennifer
How to make Seco de Pollo - Step-by-step
- Add the cumin, paprika, brown sugar, salt and black pepper to the chicken pieces in a large bowl.
- Using your hands, thoroughly rub the dry spice mixture into the chicken, coating all sides of each piece.
- Once the chicken is evenly covered in the rub, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in the fridge to marinate for one hour.
Marinating allows the spices to permeate the chicken for enhanced flavour.
- While the chicken marinates, prepare the Seco de Pollo sauce. Add all the sauce ingredients to a food processor or blender - tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, chilli flakes, beer, and orange juice.
- Process the ingredients together until you have a chunky sauce with no large pieces of any of the ingredients left. Set the sauce aside for now.
- Dice and chop the reserved halves of the red bell pepper, the coriander and the parsley. Set aside.
- After marinating, remove the chicken from the fridge. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Once hot, add the chicken pieces in a single layer and brown for 2-3 minutes per side. Browning builds flavour and allows the spices to further penetrate the chicken.
- Pour the blended sauce and diced red pepper into the pan with the browned chicken.
- Distribute the sauce evenly around the chicken using a spoon or spatula.
- Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer then immediately reduce the heat to low to maintain a steady simmer.
- Cover the pot tightly with a lid.
- Allow the Seco de Pollo to cook covered for 50 minutes to 1 hour until the chicken is very tender when pierced.
- Check for seasoning and add more if needed.
If the sauce is too thin for your liking, remove the chicken pieces and simmer the sauce uncovered to reduce the liquid. If the sauce is too thick, stir in more orange juice or water until it reaches the consistency you prefer. Return the chicken to the pot once adjusted.
- Add the remaining halves of the coriander and parsley and stir through with the sauce and chicken.
- Serve the Seco de Pollo immediately over rice with your favourite accompaniments while piping hot.
Top tips
Marinating the chicken
Marinate the chicken in the spice rub for at least 1 hour for the most flavour infusion. Overnight is even better!
Browning the chicken
Make sure to brown the chicken pieces well before adding the other ingredients. Browning builds tons of flavour. Visually, browned chicken pieces also look more attractive.
Simmering the stew
Once simmering, use a low, gentle heat to prevent scorching or over-reducing the sauce.
This is especially important if you are not using a heavy, cast iron Dutch oven or a saucepan with a thick, heavy base. Cookware with thinner bases conducts heat more intensely and directly to the stew. This intense heat exposure can lead to rapid reduction and potential burning or sticking on the pan bottom.
Monitoring sauce levels
Keep an eye on the sauce as it simmers. Following on from above, a thin-based saucepan will make the stew cook faster with a more direct heat, which could cause the sauce to reduce quicker.
If the sauce is too thin for your liking, remove the chicken pieces and simmer the sauce uncovered to reduce the liquid. If the sauce is too thick/dry, stir in more orange juice or water until it reaches the consistency you prefer. Return the chicken to the pot once adjusted.
Adding Herbs
Only add the remaining fresh herbs at the end of the cooking process. This preserves their bright, aromatic qualities.
Serving suggestions
- Serve over steaming white rice (Arroz Blanco) or yellow rice (Arroz Amarillo) to soak up the delicious sauce.
- Include slices of fried or roasted plantains on the side for a sweet contrast.
- Top with sliced avocado or guacamole for a cool, creamy contrast.
- Garnish with chopped coriander, queso fresco or green onion for freshness.
- Offer wedges of lime to squeeze over the stew before eating.
- Serve with warm corn tortillas, tostadas or arepas on the side.
- Pair with boiled yuca, roast potatoes or choclo (Andean corn) as starchy accompaniments.
- Serve with a small salad on the side.
Storage
Store Seco de Pollo in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. The flavours will continue to develop as they sit.
Add a splash of water, orange juice or broth when reheating if the stew seems too thick. Bring to a simmer on the stovetop or heat through gently in the microwave.
Freezing
Cool the Seco de Pollo completely before freezing. Transfer the chicken stew to freezer bags or airtight containers and enjoy within 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Add a splash of water, orange juice or broth when reheating if the stew seems too thick. Bring to a simmer on the stovetop or heat through gently in the microwave.
Recipe
Seco de Pollo - Ecuadorian Chicken Stew
Equipment
- 1 large, lidded Dutch oven or heavy-based saucepan
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 kilogram chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil - for frying
- ½ red bell pepper - about 80g, diced into small cubes
- ½ bunch parsley - about 15g, finely chopped
- ½ bunch coriander (cilantro) - about 15g, finely chopped
For the sauce
- 2 large tomatoes - about 300g, roughly chopped
- ½ red bell pepper - about 80g, roughly chopped
- 1 medium onion - about 150g, roughly chopped
- 5 cloves garlic - roughly chopped
- ½ bunch parsley - about 15g
- ½ bunch coriander (cilantro) - about 15g
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes - or ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 200 millilitre light beer - pale, not dark beer
- 150 millilitre orange juice
Instructions
Prepare the chicken
- Add the cumin, paprika, brown sugar, salt and black pepper to the chicken pieces in a large bowl.1 teaspoon ground cumin, 2 teaspoons paprika, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 kilogram chicken thighs
- Using your hands, thoroughly rub the dry spice mixture into the chicken, coating all sides of each piece.
- Once the chicken is evenly covered in the rub, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in the fridge to marinate for one hour. Marinating allows the spices to permeate the chicken for enhanced flavour.
Make the sauce
- While the chicken marinates, prepare the Seco de Pollo sauce. Add all the sauce ingredients to a food processor or blender.½ red bell pepper, ½ bunch parsley, ½ bunch coriander (cilantro), 2 large tomatoes, 1 medium onion, 5 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon chilli flakes, 200 millilitre light beer, 150 millilitre orange juice
- Process the ingredients together until you have a chunky sauce with no large pieces of any of the ingredients left. Set the sauce aside for now.
Prep the add-ins
- Dice and chop the reserved halves of the red bell pepper, the coriander and the parsley. Set aside.
Bringing it all together
- After marinating, remove the chicken from the fridge. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat.1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- Once hot, add the chicken pieces in a single layer and brown for 2-3 minutes per side. Browning builds flavour and allows the spices to further penetrate the chicken.
- Pour the blended sauce and diced red pepper into the pan with the browned chicken.½ red bell pepper
- Distribute the sauce evenly around the chicken using a spoon or spatula.
- Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer then immediately reduce the heat to low to maintain a steady simmer.
- Cover the pot tightly with a lid.
- Allow the Seco de Pollo to cook covered for 50 minutes to 1 hour until the chicken is very tender when pierced.
- Check for seasoning and add more if needed. If the sauce is too thin for your liking, remove the chicken pieces and simmer the sauce uncovered to reduce the liquid. If the sauce is too thick, stir in more orange juice or water until it reaches the consistency you prefer. Return the chicken to pot once adjusted.
- Add the remaining halves of the coriander and parsley and stir through with the sauce and chicken.½ bunch parsley, ½ bunch coriander (cilantro)
- Serve the Seco de Pollo immediately over rice with your favourite accompaniments while piping hot.
Notes
Marinating the chicken
Marinate the chicken in the spice rub for at least 1 hour for the most flavour infusion. Overnight is even better!Browning the chicken
Make sure to brown the chicken pieces well before adding the other ingredients. Browning builds tons of flavour. Visually, browned chicken pieces also look more attractive.Simmering the stew
Once simmering, use a low, gentle heat to prevent scorching or over-reducing the sauce. This is especially important if you are not using a heavy, cast iron Dutch oven or a saucepan with a thick, heavy base. Cookware with thinner bases conducts heat more intensely and directly to the stew. This intense heat exposure can lead to rapid reduction and potential burning or sticking on the pan bottom.Monitoring sauce levels
Keep an eye on the sauce as it simmers. Following on from above, a thin-based saucepan will make the stew cook faster with a more direct heat, which could cause the sauce to reduce quicker. If the sauce is too thin for your liking, remove the chicken pieces and simmer the sauce uncovered to reduce the liquid. If the sauce is too thick/dry, stir in more orange juice or water until it reaches the consistency you prefer. Return the chicken to the pot once adjusted.Adding Herbs
Only add the remaining fresh herbs at the end of the cooking process. This preserves their bright, aromatic qualities.**Nutritional data disclaimer**
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is calculated by a third party and we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We try our best to give you the most accurate information, but we do not take responsibility for errors that may be present. Also, the nutritional value of the recipe may change depending on the exact brands and products used. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalised advice on your dietary needs.
Nutrition
For food safety advice, including guidance on food allergies
Jennifer P says
I made this dish in my crockpot (2 hours on low) following the recipe above. It was delicious and unique. My guests were impressed and enjoyed in very much.
Maretha Corbett says
Hey Jennifer,
Fantastic, so pleased you and your guests enjoyed it! I absolutely loved hearing that you made it in the crockpot. Your method has me thinking of leaving a note on the recipe for others who'd like to try it the same way. Appreciate you sharing your experience and thanks for taking the time to leave such a lovely review.
Happy cooking!
Maretha.