Pollo en Escabeche

By
Marian Blazes
Marian Blazes
Marian Blazes is a freelance writer and recipe developer with a passion for South American food. She wrote a cookbook focusing on the cuisine of Brazil.
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Updated on 01/25/22
Pollo en escabeche recipe

The Spruce
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Total: 60 mins
Servings: 4 to 5 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
465 Calories
23g Fat
10g Carbs
49g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 5
Amount per serving
Calories 465
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g 29%
Saturated Fat 6g 28%
Cholesterol 212mg 71%
Sodium 18886mg 821%
Total Carbohydrate 10g 4%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 49g
Vitamin C 3mg 17%
Calcium 88mg 7%
Iron 3mg 15%
Potassium 612mg 13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Escabeche, a dish in which meat and vegetables are cooked in an acidic vinegar sauce, is very popular in South America. Escabeche came to South America from Spain. Spanish escabeche evolved from a sweet and sour Persian dish that the Moors brought to Spain. So like many dishes in Latin American cuisine, escabeche has a long history. Escabeche is a popular way to prepare fish, and ceviche (with its acidic flavor) is thought to be a derivation of Spanish seafood escabeche.

In the Andean countries, escabeche is often prepared by cooking the vegetables in vinegar (a mild form of pickling) and then mixing them with meat that was cooked separately. This recipe takes a shortcut, using only one pan and is great for a busy weeknight. Serve the chicken with garlicky rice to soak up the sauce and roasted sweet potatoes for a sweet contrast.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 to 2 pounds chicken breasts, or assorted chicken pieces

  • 1 gallon water

  • 1 1/2 cups kosher salt

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 2 large onions

  • 3 cloves garlic

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon aji panca chile pepper paste, optional

  • 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

  • 1 teaspoon cumin

  • 1 teaspoon paprika

  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt

  • 1/2 cup chicken stock

  • 1/3 cup white wine

  • 1/2 cup vinegar

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 2 tablespoons capers

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for chicken with onions and capers
    The Spruce

  2. Soak the chicken in salted water for several hours. (This brining process makes the chicken more tender.)

    Chicken in bowl
    The Spruce

  3. Rinse chicken pieces, pat dry, and season with salt and pepper on both sides. If the chicken breasts are very plump and large, slice them in half horizontally.

    Pat chicken dry
    The Spruce

  4. Thinly slice the onions into half moon shapes by cutting the onion in half from top to bottom. Place each half cut-side down and make thin crosswise cuts to produce curved slices (a la pluma—like feathers).

    Thinly slice onions
    The Spruce 

  5. Mince the garlic.

    Mince garlic
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  6. Add the olive oil to a heavy skillet over medium-high heat that's large enough to hold all of the chicken pieces. Place the chicken pieces in the skillet and brown on both sides. Remove to a plate and set aside.

    Roast chicken
    The Spruce

  7. Add the onions and garlic to the skillet, adding another tablespoon of olive oil if necessary.

    Add onions and garlic to skillet
    The Spruce

  8. Add the aji panca, brown sugar, cumin, paprika, and garlic salt and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and fragrant, for about 5 to 8 minutes.

    Onions in frying pan
    The Spruce

  9. Add the chicken back to the skillet, nestling the pieces in with the onions.

    Add chicken in frying pan
    The Spruce

  10. Then add the chicken stock, wine, vinegar, and a bay leaf. Add a little more chicken stock if liquid seems too low. It does not need to completely cover the chicken.

    Add chicken stock
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  11. Cover and cook over low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes.

    Cover lid
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  12. Then uncover, add the capers, and simmer for about 5 minutes more.

    Add the capers
    The Spruce

  13. Check for doneness (meat should no longer be pink and juices should run clear). Continue to simmer until chicken is done. Remove bay leaf.

    Check for doneness
    The Spruce

  14. Serve chicken over rice.

    Chicken with onions and capers
    The Spruce

  15. Enjoy.