Pollo Guisado (Dominican Chicken Stew)

Ingredients:

1kg chicken, jointed and cut into small pieces
2 limes, halved
¼ tsp dried oregano, crumbled
1 small red onion, sliced into fine strips
50g celery, chopped
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
½ tsp garlic, mashed
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp white granulated sugar
500ml water
4 plum tomatoes, quartered
2 green bell peppers (or cubanelle peppers), sliced into strips
80g pitted green olives, halved crossways
250ml tomato sauce
Bunch fresh coriander, leaves only
¼ tsp cracked black pepper

Method:

Place the chicken pieces in a bowl, squeeze over the lime halves then mix in the oregano, onion, celery, salt, and garlic. Cover and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.

Place a pan, wok or deep frying pan over medium heat. Once hot add the oil and sugar. Wait until the sugar caramelizes then add in the chicken (reserve the marinade) and cook, stirring, until the chicken is lightly browned all over.

Add 2 tbsp of water, cover the pan and simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring and adding water by the tablespoon as it becomes necessary to prevent the chicken from burning.

Stir in the vegetables that you had set aside from marinating the chicken, then add in the cubanelle pepper, tomatoes, and olives. Cover, and simmer until the vegetables are cooked through (about 15 minutes), adding water by the tablespoon and stirring as it becomes necessary.

At this point stir in the tomato sauce and 125ml of water, bring to a simmer simmer and cook over low heat to produce a light sauce. The vegetables will be very soft, the sauce a bit thick, and the chicken fall-off-the-bone tender.

Add fresh coriander, season to taste with salt and freshly-ground black pepper then serve.