Chicken, Mushrooms, and Red Pepper Stew
Guisado de Pollo, Hongos, y Chile Rojo
Boneless chicken thighs, mushrooms, and sweet red peppers simmer together in a sauce thickened with masa harina (corn tortilla flour) and seasoned with traditional herbs and aromatics for this stew from northern Mexico. De arbol chile adds a punch of spicy heat to the stew. Serve with rice or soft, warm tortillas.
Ingredients
Makes 4 servings
- 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs
- 4 medium garlic cloves sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1½ teaspoons dried oregano Mexican variety preferred, crumbled
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ medium white onion chopped
- 6 ounces brown mushrooms sliced
- 1 medium red bell pepper cut into 1⁄2-inch squares
- 1 de arbol chile toasted, seeded, and broken into pieces
- ½ cup lightly packed coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon masa harina flour for corn tortillas
Instructions
- Trim the chicken thighs of excess fat and cut into 1-inch pieces.
- Put the chicken, garlic, oregano, thyme, and salt into a 2-quart saucepan.
- Add water to barely cover the chicken.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the chicken is tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
- Reserve in the pan off heat.
- When the chicken is tender, heat the oil in a medium skillet, and cook the onion until it starts to brown, about 4 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms, bell pepper, and ¼ cup of the broth from cooking the chicken.
- Cook, stirring, until the liquid completely boils away, to concentrate the flavors, about 3 minutes.
- Stir the skillet contents into the pan with the chicken.
- In a small, hot, dry skillet, toast the de arbol chile until it releases its aroma and starts to color, about 10 seconds.
- Wearing protective gloves, cut the chile open and discard the seeds.
- Break or cut the chile into small bits (⅛ inch) and add to the stew.
- In a small bowl, mix the masa harina with 3 tablespoons of water, and stir into the stew, mixing well to blend.
- Bring the stew to a boil over medium-high heat; then reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring, until the broth thickens, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Adjust seasoning.
Notes & Wine Advice
Serve hot.