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Chicken Pochero scooped by a spoon.
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Chicken Pochero Recipe

Chicken stew with saba bananas, chorizo, chickpeas, and vegetables in tomato sauce.
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Filipino
Diet Gluten Free
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 679kcal
Author Nora Rey
Cost $10-12

Equipment

  • Heavy-bottomed pot

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds bone-in chicken pieces
  • 2 to 3 ripe saba bananas cut into chunks
  • 1 medium carrot cut into chunks
  • 2 chorizo de Bilbao sliced
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves minced
  • ⅓ cup tomato paste
  • 2½ to 3 cups water (or chicken broth)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 teaspoons chicken base or bouillon
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce to taste
  • 1 tablespoon sugar to taste
  • 1 cup chickpeas or garbanzo beans
  • A bunch of yardlong beans or green beans cut into 2" sections
  • A bunch pechay or bok choy halved if large
  • ½ small cabbage cut into wedges
  • Salt and pepper 
  • Neutral oil

Instructions

  • Trim off excess fat from chicken. Season with salt and set aside.
  • Lightly brown saba bananas and carrots; set aside.
  • Sear chicken until lightly browned; set aside.
  • Sear chorizo briefly; set aside.
  • Sauté onion and garlic until softened.
  • Add tomato paste and cook until darker.
  • Add water, bay leaves, chicken base, fish sauce, sugar, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
  • Return chicken to the pot. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
  • Add chorizo, carrots, and chickpeas; cook until carrots are tender.
  • Add saba bananas, yardlong beans, bok choy, and cabbage. Cook until vegetables soften. Turn off the heat.

Notes

  • Chicken: Thighs and legs stay juicy, but any bone-in cut works.
  • Chorizo de Bilbao: Adds smoky, savory flavor. If you can’t find it, use any chorizo, sausage, or even hotdogs.
  • Tomato paste: Thick and concentrated, so it adds more tomato flavor. Use tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes with less water.
  • Vegetables: I used chickpeas, carrots, yardlong beans, bok choy, and cabbage. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, pechay, chayote, or peas also work.
 
Cooking Tips
  • Brown the chicken, chorizo, and vegetables for more flavor.
  • Sear in batches so they don’t steam.
  • Brown the tomato paste for better flavor.
  • Add vegetables last so they don’t get mushy.

Nutrition

Calories: 679kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 199mg | Sodium: 755mg | Potassium: 734mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2044IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 4mg