Seco de Pollo
Seco de pollo belongs to a family of Ecuadorian dishes called "secos" — a somewhat misleading name, since it means "dry", but actually describes stews with a thick sauce, not literally dry food. The term distinguishes these dishes from "caldos", the liquid soups that dominate Ecuadorian cuisine just as much, and seco de pollo is the most common variant in a family that also includes seco de chivo (goat) or seco de carne (beef). The beer in the marinade isn't just a regional quirk, but a technical choice: its sugar caramelizes lightly on the meat during braising, adding a subtle sweetness that balances the lime's acidity and the cilantro's sharpness. The thick paste of cilantro, onion and garlic, blended separately before being sautéed, is what gives the sauce its deep green color and characteristic thick consistency — a concentrated stew of flavor, designed specifically to be soaked up by the plain white rice served alongside.
The chicken marinates in beer or sugarcane juice, not just citrus
The sugar in the beer caramelizes lightly while cooking, adding a depth that vinegar or lime alone don't give
A thick paste of cilantro, onion and garlic is blended separately, as the sauce base
Blending, not just chopping, releases more flavor from the cilantro leaves and colors the sauce a deep green
The chicken braises slowly in the cilantro sauce, not boiled quickly over high heat
The long time lets the meat absorb the sauce's green, tangy flavor, instead of staying just on the surface
It's always served with plain white rice and slices of avocado on the side
The plain rice soaks up the concentrated sauce, and the cool avocado balances the meat's intense flavor
Ingredients 4 servings
- 1kg bone-in chicken thighs
- 250ml beer
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, plus more for serving
- 1 onion, cut into pieces
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into pieces
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- White rice and avocado, for serving
How to make it
- 1MARINATE THE CHICKEN: put the chicken in a bowl, add the beer and lime juice, marinate at least 30 minutes, ideally 2 hours.
- 2BLEND THE SAUCE: blend the cilantro, onion, garlic, bell pepper and cumin with a little water, until you get a thick green paste.
- 3SAUTÉ: heat the oil in a large pot, sauté the cilantro paste over medium heat, 5 minutes, stirring often so it doesn't burn.
- 4ADD THE CHICKEN: remove the chicken from the marinade, keep the marinade, add the chicken to the pot, brown it on all sides.
- 5BRAISE: add the remaining marinade and the chopped tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, cover and simmer 35-40 minutes, until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened.
- 6SERVE: scatter fresh cilantro on top and serve with white rice and avocado slices.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
