This Sudado de Pollo, or Colombian Chicken Stew features tender chicken with richly flavored potatoes in plantains. This simple and hearty dinner is made in the Instant Pot (with alternative instructions for stove-top) and ready in well under 30 minutes.
Sudado, as it is known in my house, is the dish my Colombian husband John, could eat every day of his life. This Colombian Chicken Stew, made with chicken, potatoes, and plantains, is hearty and comforting. Its name in Spanish is Sudado de Pollo, and it is a traditional Colombian food. Depending on the region of Colombia, the ingredients and cooking methods for this dish can vary. My husband and his family are from Bogota, Colombia, and just like our Carne en Bistec (Colombian Steak with Tomatoes and Onions), Arepas con Queso, and Papa Salada recipes, this Colombian Chicken Stew version is influenced by the one he ate growing up, with some twists on my end for simplicity sake.
This is, hands-down, John's favorite meal. He used to get to eat it only when he booked some time in our kitchen months in advance (kidding...sort of). But as a gesture of love, I decided to learn how to make it, but with a twist (because I'll always switch things up). The way he prepared it could be quite laborious, so I cut down on some steps to make it more quickly on any random weeknight while still keeping the intention and spirit of the dish.
It's cooked in a pressure cooker (aka Instant Pot), which is typical of a lot of Colombian Food and takes some shortcuts, resulting in a streamlined version for simple weeknight dinners with minimal hands-on prep. However, it can also be made on the stovetop, and I'll review the various alternative ways to cook this stew further down.
So, let's get to making it! You can jump around the article using the menu below, or you can just head right to the bottom for the complete recipe.
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Ingredients Needed and Substitutions
Here is a brief overview of the ingredients needed for this recipe. The full recipe with quantities is listed below this text in the recipe card.
- boneless, skinless chicken thighs (this is not traditional, but I find this cut of chicken perfect for easy weeknight cooking...it is also okay to use bone-in drumsticks which can be cooked in similar time in the pressure cooker as boneless skinless thighs...I talk more about the cut of meat down in the section about cooking variations)
- yukon gold potatoes (any potato can be used here, but a medium starch potato is what John says most resembles the potato that would be used in Colombia, which also is an issue discussed in this Colombian Salted Potato recipe)
- chicken stock (this helps bump of the chicken flavor since boneless chicken is used in the recipe)
- ripe plantains (it's important to get ripe plantains that are yellow with a streak or two of brown...overripe plantains will turn to mush and underripe plantains won't have the correct sweetness)
- spices: garlic + onion powder, ground turmeric + cumin + coriander and of course salt and pepper
- Rice, avocado and herbs (for serving, or even a nice salad like this Cucumber Avocado Salad)
As stated above, this traditional Colombian dish can vary based on the region in which it is cooked. Many recipes add tomato to the stew. My husband's family does not, so I didn't include them here. But you certainly can add them! We also sometimes add whole corn cobs when they are in season.
Let's Talk about Some Shortcuts Taken
I felt it important to say, that while this is a traditional Colombian dish, this is not a traditional recipe. This version is very much a "streamlined-lets-get-dinner-on-the-table-quick recipe".
Some steps this recipe takes that are streamlined:
- Instead of fresh onions and garlic the recipe calls for dried, so only minimal prep is required. If you want to use fresh onions and garlic, sweat them in a bit of oil before using.
- In most "stews", the meat is browned first to impart a deeper flavor on the dish. However, John and his family never do this for Sudado de Pollo, because they prefer to keep the chicken flavor lighter and more delicate. You could take the step to brown the chicken beforehand, if desired.
- As mentioned above, this recipe calls for boneless, skinless thighs instead of the more traditional bone-in chicken. This is simply a matter of personal family preference and using them really make this a more approachable weeknight dinner. I truly think of this meal as one the easist in my arsenal of super-fast-crowd-pleasing dinners. If you prefer to use bone-in meat, feel free to experiment.
- And finally, I turned to the Instant Pot to make this as fast as possible. Using a pressure cooker is popular in the mountains of Bogota, where the elevation is higher, and therefore, some cooking times can be increased. However, my husband and his family typically cook this meal on the stovetop slowly, to infuse the broth with a lot more flavor. Between the use of the pressure cooker and the boneless thighs, this meal takes all of 12 minutes of cook time and 3 minutes of "slow-release" making this a truly fast meal. Want to slow the process down for richer flavor? I share some alternative cooking options in the notes of the recipe.
Preparing the Plantains
The plantains are cooked with their peel on. To prepare them, wash them with warm, slightly soapy water, and I like to add in a dash of white vinegar. You won't be eating the peels, but obviously, they are cooked with the rest of the ingredients, so they must be clean.
After washing them, I usually trim off the very ends (just because they are often very black and a bit old) and then cut the plantains into thirds. Each peel needs a slice cut into it. This is so that after the plantains are cooked, they can easily be removed.
Step-By-Step Recipe Overview
This is a quick visual overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. If you are looking for the full recipe, keep scrolling!
Step 1: Prepare the plantains.
Step 2: Add the plantains, potatoes and chicken stock to Instant Pot.
Step 3: Add in the chicken and evenly sprinkle all the spices over it."
Step 4: Cook in the pressure cooker, then serve!
Serving Suggestions
While you absolutely could serve this stew as is (it already has that meat and starch vibe going), serving it with rice is highly recommended. Also, some fresh avocado or a light salad is nice as well.
We don't typically serve it with many fresh herbs, but green onions and cilantro would fit in nicely here. I personally also love it with Colombian Aji (Ají Colombiano) to brighten the whole thing up.
More Chicken Recipes
More Instant Pot Recipes
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Colombian Chicken Stew (Sudado de Pollo)
- Prep Time: 00:10
- Cook Time: 00:20
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: Colombian-American
Description
This Sudado de Pollo, or Colombian Chicken Stew features tender chicken with richly flavored potatoes in plantains. This simple and hearty dinner is made in the Instant Pot (with alternative instructions for stove-top) and ready in well under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2-3 small yellow plantains, ripe (see note)
- 4 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut in half
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt, more to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For serving:
- Cooked rice
- Sliced green onions or cilantro
- Avocado
Instructions
- Remove the stickers and wash the peels of the plantains very well. Trim the ends of the plantains, then cut each plantain crosswise into 3 pieces. Carefully slice through the peels lengthwise on each piece (so they come off easily after they are cooked).
- To the pot, add the plantains, potatoes, and chicken stock. Place the chicken on top, then sprinkle evenly with the salt, garlic powder, turmeric, coriander, onion powder, cumin and pepper. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and set the valve to sealing. Cook on manual high pressure for 12 minutes, with a 3-minute natural release. Carefully switch the valve to open to release all of the remaining pressure.
- Using tongs, remove the peels from the plantains and discard them.
- Serve the chicken, plantains, potatoes, and broth over rice with a garnish of green onions or cilantro and avocado.
Notes
It's important to get ripe plantains. Look for yellow plantains with black spots or streaks. This indicates a ripe plantain with a balance of sweetness and firmness....overripe plantains have more black than yellow and will turn to mush. Underripe plantains are green and won't have the correct sweetness or texture.
This recipe was tested using Diamond Crystal coarse kosher salt. If you use Morton's kosher salt or fine salt, decrease by about half for volume, or use the same amount by weight.
This recipe opts for boneless, skinless thighs over traditional bone-in chicken. This makes this much more approachable for a quick weeknight dinner. However, bone-in chicken drumsticks will also work here.
The pressure cooker is a great way to get this on the table fast. To make Sudado de Pollo on the stovetop, add all the ingredients to a pot, with an additional 1 cup of chicken broth. Bring to a simmer then cover and cook on low heat until the chicken is tender, and the potatoes are cooked through.
Lynette Lopez
This recipe has officially become my weeknight staple. I grew up eating Sudado de Pollo myself, but as a busy 20-something year old, I never have the time to do my mother's 10 step stove-top recipe. This Instant Pot version is a lifesaver.
I made two alterations. The part of Colombia we're from uses platano verde for their Sudado de Pollo; I cut it into smaller pieces and took the peel off. And instead of chicken stock, I used Maggi's Caldo Sabor de Pollo for a more authentic chicken base. It came out fire.
Can't wait to try your other recipes!