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Heartwarming & Hearty Sancocho

Traditional Latin American stew featuring tender chicken drumsticks, fresh sofrito, and a medley of hearty vegetables simmered to perfection—comfort food that brings family and friends together.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course, Soup, Stew
Cuisine: Caribbean, Latin American
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Sofrito (Recaito)
  • 1 medium onion chunky chopped
  • 1 medium green bell pepper chunky chopped
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro including stems
  • 3 cloves garlic smashed
  • 2 tbsp olive oil divided
For the Stew
  • 3 lb chicken drumsticks skin removed
  • to taste salt
  • to taste freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 tbsp adobo seasoning
  • 1 tbsp sazón with achiote
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 leaves bay leaves
  • 8 cups chicken stock
  • 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes diced
  • 1 lb yuca root peeled and diced
  • 2 medium green plantains sliced into rounds
  • 1 small calabaza pumpkin peeled and diced
  • 2 ears fresh corn on the cob cut into rounds
  • cooked white rice optional, for serving

Equipment

  • Large Heavy-Duty Pot
  • Food Processor or Blender
  • Knife

Method
 

  1. Step 1: Prepare the sofrito by pulsing onion, bell pepper, cilantro (including stems), smashed garlic, and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a food processor until chunky. Set aside half a cup for the stew.
  2. Step 2: Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large heavy-duty pot over medium-high heat.
  3. Step 3: Pat chicken drumsticks dry and season evenly with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Brown chicken in hot oil in batches until golden on all sides. Remove and set aside.
  4. Step 4: Lower heat to medium. Remove excess fat from pot, leaving about 2 tablespoons. Add reserved sofrito and sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant and slightly caramelized.
  5. Step 5: Stir in tomato sauce, adobo seasoning, sazón with achiote, dried oregano, and bay leaves. Cook for 1 minute, scraping browned bits from pot.
  6. Step 6: Pour in chicken stock and bring to a rolling boil. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
  7. Step 7: Reduce heat to medium-low. Return browned chicken to pot, cover with lid slightly ajar, and simmer for 60 minutes until chicken is tender.
  8. Step 8: Skim excess fat from surface. Add diced potatoes, yuca, plantain rounds, calabaza pumpkin, and corn rounds. Add more stock if needed to cover vegetables.
  9. Step 9: Cover pot again with lid slightly ajar and simmer on low for 30 minutes or until vegetables are fork-tender.
  10. Step 10: Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot, garnished with fresh cilantro leaves and optionally with cooked white rice on the side.

Notes

Make homemade sofrito ahead and freeze for quick meals. Sancocho tastes better the next day as flavors meld. Store leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat gently on stove with added stock or water to restore broth consistency.