Asopao de Pollo
“Dominican rice-and-chicken soup-stew — sofrito base, chicken pieces, more liquid than locrio so the rice stays loose and the dish is spooned like soup. Sopa-meets-locrio territory. Rainy-day comfort food across the island; the rice acts as both bulk and thickener.”
Where it comes from
Caribbean-Spanish soupy-rice tradition that Puerto Rico shares (with slight differences). The Dominican version is more brothy than the PR version. Comfort dish: when someone's sick or it's raining, this is what's on the stove. Less ceremonious than locrio.
On the plate
Spoon goes in and you scoop broth + a few grains of rice + a piece of chicken at once. The broth is rich from chicken bone, bright from tomato, salty from olive and caper. Rice has gone tender but still in shape — not mushy. Heat from chicken-and-broth steams your face on a cold rainy day. Lime over top before each bite.
How it works
Uncovered cook with stirring keeps the rice grains separate (vs covered for concón). The 1.5-cup rice in 6 cups liquid ratio (1:4) is the Dominican asopao standard; locrio uses 1:1.6. Olives and capers go in late so they keep their texture; their brine adds salt without adding fresh water.
Variations
Asopao de camarones uses shrimp instead of chicken (made for Friday Catholic-fasting nights). Asopao de gandules adds pigeon peas. Some Santo Domingo cooks throw in a chunk of pumpkin for sweetness; rural northern variants add salted pork.
On the Palate
Ingredients
Serves 6
How it's made
7 steps · Show ↓35 min active · 40 min waiting
How it's made
7 steps · Show ↓- 18 min
Cut 1 kg bone-in chicken into pieces. Season with garlic powder, oregano, salt.
- 29 min
Heat 2 tbsp oil. Brown chicken 4 min per side. Remove.
- 35 min
Sauté sofrito (1 onion + 1 bell pepper + 4 garlic + cilantro all chopped) 5 min.
- 44 min
Add 2 tbsp tomato paste, cook 2 min. Add chicken back, 6 cups stock, 1 bay leaf, 1 sprig oregano.
- 523 min
Bring to simmer. Add 1.5 cups long-grain rice. Cook uncovered 22 min, stirring occasionally.
- 66 min
Add ½ cup pitted olives, 1 tbsp capers, ½ cup peas. Cook 5 more min. Liquid should be soupy, not dry.
- 73 min
Adjust salt. Serve in deep bowls with avocado wedge and lime on the side.
