Asopao de Pollo is a deliciously hearty Puerto Rican chicken stew made with sofrito , adobo seasoning , and rice. It’s the perfect meal for a cold winter night, or whenever you’re feeling under the weather.
If you like Puerto Rican recipes like Arroz con Pollo and Sancocho, you are going to love this dish.
Asopao de Pollo is arguably the most popular Puerto Rican stew/soup and for good reason. It combines all of my favorite Puerto Rican cooking staples like sofrito, sazon seasoning and achiote oil.
With all of that flavor packed into one pot, this savory dish is guaranteed to become your new favorite spin on chicken soup with rice.
What’s asopao? Asopa’o is the shortened version of the word “asopado”, meaning soup-like in Spanish.
How to Make Asopao de Pollo
Some of the ingredients in Asopao de Pollo can be difficult to track down if you live in a smaller city like me.
Here are some accessible substitution ideas that will result in great flavor:
- achiote oil: my recipe for achiote oil is super easy to make in minute but if you don’t have annatto seeds you can also buy it pre-made.
- adobo seasoning: if you can’t find this spice blend make your own with equal parts garlic powder, oregano, paprika, & onion powder
- sazon seasoning: if you can’t find this spice blend make your own with equal parts annatto powder, oregano, garlic powder, cumin & coriander
- sofrito: if you don’t have time to make sofrito you can swap it for chopped yellow onion, minced cloves garlic, minced cilantro, and chopped bell pepper
Asopaos (or stews, in English) are one of my favorite categories of dishes to make because of how easy they are to customize.
Here are some of my favorite ways to mix things up in this Puerto Rican Chicken Stew if I’m feeling like breaking away from tradition:
- Add corn – adding in a bit of frozen or canned corn, or even fresh corn can be a delicious addition.
- Spicy – add a jalapeño to your sofrito or just diced up with the carrots and celery to amp up the heat .
- Vegetarian – I haven’t tried this trick yet but with all the flavor layering, I’m sure this stew would be equally delicious with tofu swapped for the chicken. Let me know if you try it!
Stews and soups are such awesome meals to make for family because they usually come together in one pot and make excellent leftovers.
Asopao de Pollo in particular, is almost always better the next day once the flavors have time to develop.
Keep it in an airtight container in your fridge and it should stay fresh for up to 5 days. You can also freeze it and reaheat if you can’t finish it all in 5 days!
The BEST Asopao de Pollo | Puerto Rican Chicken Soup
FAQ
What is the meaning of asopao?
What is the history of asopao?
What are the ingredients in Puerto Rican food?
What is asopao de pollo?
Buen Provecho! Asopao de Pollo is a deliciously hearty Puerto Rican chicken stew made with sofrito, adobo seasoning, and rice. It’s the perfect meal for a cold winter night, or whenever you’re feeling under the weather. In a large pot heat the oil over medium heat before adding in the chicken and sprinkling with adobo & sazon seasoning.
How do you pronounce asopao?
Homemade sofrito, shrimp, peppers, onions, spices, and a shocking small amount of rice, with a rich seafood broth creates an almost creamy shrimp gumbo recipe. The pronunciation of asopao in English is “ah-so-pow”.
What is asopao de camarones?
What is asopao? Asopao de camarones (shrimp gumbo) is a thick Puerto Rican shrimp stew made with shrimp and rice. This Puerto Rican soup has all of the flavors you’ve come to love from the Puerto Rican cuisine.
How do you make asopao?
Asopao is also a family of stews, like asopao, made with chicken, beef, and fish. Water – purified water. Bonito flakes (dried shaved skipjack tuna), shrimp tails, or fish bones for an easy and delicious stock. 1lb Wild raw Argentinian shrimp. Whole Onion – finely dice the onions. Use either sweet or red onions.