Piernas de Pollo en salsa Roja y Garbanzos

Piernas de Pollo en salsa Roja y Garbanzos is a beautiful translation of an old friend’s handed-down Puerto Rican recipe. Piernas de Pollo en salsa Roja y Garbanzos has juicy moist chicken legs, red and green bell peppers, Spanish onions, fresh roasted garlic, chopped cilantro, red sauce, and garbanzo beans served with Valencia rice.

If you are fond of Puerto Rican Cuisine, you will love this translation of my friend’s handed-down recipe. I know most of you already know. I adore Latino Cuisine and have shared a lot of it on this blog in the past. I decided to share yet another wonderful recipe for Chicken legs in Red Sauce and Chick Peas – Piernas de Pollo en salsa Roja y Garbanzos with you all today so that you can make your rendition of one of my favorite Puerto Rican recipes to this date.

Puerto Rican cuisine is notorious for its roots in the cooking traditions of countries such as Spain, Africa, and the native Taínos.  In the latter part of the 19th century, the cuisine of Puerto Rico was greatly influenced by the United States in the ingredients used in its preparation.

The Spanish influence is seen in Puerto Rican cuisine. Wheat, chickpeas (garbanzos), black pepper, onions, garlic, cilantro (using plant and seeds in cooking), oregano, basil, sugar cane, citrus fruit, eggplant, lard, chicken, beef, pork, and dairy all came to Borikén (Puerto Rico’s native Taino name) from Spain.

The tradition of cooking stews and rice dishes in pots, such as rice and beans, are also said to be European. Olives, capers, olive oil, grapes, and wine play a big part in Puerto Rican cooking; however, these foods cannot be grown due to the tropical climate. Puerto Rico had these foods imported from Spain. Early Dutch, French, Italian, and Chinese immigrants influenced not only the culture but also Puerto Rican cooking.

African influence is seen in coconuts, coffee (brought in by the Arabs and Corsos to Yauco from Kafa, Ethiopia), okra, yams, sesame seeds, gandules aka pigeon peas, many varieties of bananas, plantains, and other fruit, other root vegetables, and Guinea hen, all have been said to come to Puerto Rico from Africa. Africans also introduced the deep-frying of many foods.

South American influence is seen in foods native to South America brought to the island by the Spanish trade, such as cocoa, avocado, tomatoes, chayote, papaya, bell peppers, and vanilla from Mexico and Central America. Potatoes and passion fruit were also brought over from Peru and Brazil.

Below you will find my recipe for Chicken legs in Red Sauce and Chick Peas – Piernas de Pollo en salsa Roja y Garbanzos with simple to follow instructions to make one of the best Puerto Rican-inspired meals you’ll ever taste.

Chicken legs in Red Sauce and Chick Peas 

• Two tablespoons of olive oil, +1 extra

• Twelve chicken legs washed and patted dry

• 1/4 of a cup of large green bell pepper, diced

• 1/4 of a cup of large red bell pepper, diced

• One medium onion, diced

• Four cloves of roasted garlic

• 1/4 of a cup finely chopped cilantro or Culantro

• One can of garbanzo beans (15 ounces) drained, rinsed

• Two cups of  low sodium vegetable broth

• One and 1/4 cup of tomato sauce

• Four medium potatoes, sliced into four long-wise

• Twelve Spanish Green Olives

• 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano

• 1/4 teaspoon ground toasted coriander seeds

• One whole bay leaf

• One envelope Sazon, Con Culantro y Achiote

• Kosher salt, to taste

• Fresh ground pepper, to taste

• Sliced avocado

• Sliced lemon, or lime

• Chopped cilantro to garnish

Directions 

1. Wash and pat dry chicken legs, then season Chicken legs with kosher salt and pepper.

2. Add two tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large deep cast-iron skillet or Dutch Oven over medium-high heat; once heated, add seasoned chicken legs and cook for 3 minutes on all sides. Reduce heat to low, add diced green and red bell peppers, diced onion, four cloves of roasted garlic, chopped cilantro, or culantro: sauté for 2-3 minutes to soften.

3. Once you are done sautéing vegetables with chicken, add one can of rinsed and drained garbanzo beans (Chick Peas), 2 cups of vegetable broth, 1 and 1/4 cups of tomato sauce, 4 medium potatoes sliced longwise, 12 Spanish Green olives, 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon of coriander, one bay leaf, one envelope Sazon Con Culantro y Achiote, season with kosher salt and pepper to taste. Stir to merge seasoning.

4. Place a tight-fitting lid on a Cast Iron skillet or Dutch oven and cook on very low for 1-hour stirring occasionally (may add extra vegetable broth if needed)

5. Serve with white Valencia rice garnished with lemon or lime wedges and sliced avocado.

Piernas de pollo en salsa roja y Garbanzos

Heidy McCallum

Chicken legs in Red Sauce and Chick Peas – Piernas de Pollo en salsa Roja y Garbanzos is a wonderful translation of a handed down Puerto Rican recipe from an old friend.

5 from 13 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Puerto Rican

Servings 6 people

Calories 872 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 tablespoons Olive oil+extra
• 12 12 chicken legs, washed and patted dry
• 1/4 Green bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup Red bell pepper, diced
• 1 Spanish onion, diced
• 4 cloves Roasted Garlic
• 1/4 cup Cilantro or Culantro, finely chopped
• 1-15- ounce Can of Organic Garbanzo Beans, drained
• 2 cups Vegetable Broth
• 1 1/4 cup Organic Spanish tomato sauce
• 4 Potatoes, sliced into 4 long-wise
• 12 large Spanish Olives + more if desired
• 1/2 teaspoon Dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon Toasted Coriander seeds
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 packet Sazon, Con Culantro y Achiote
• Kosher salt to own taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to own taste

Other Ingredients

• 2-3 small Sliced Avocado
• 2 Lemons, sliced
• Chopped cilantro to garnish

Instructions

 

• Wash and pat dry chicken legs then season Chicken legs with kosher salt and pepper.
• In a large deep cast iron skillet or Dutch Oven over medium-high heat add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, once heated add seasoned chicken legs cook for 3 minutes on all sides. Reduce heat to low, add diced green and red bell peppers, diced onion, 4 cloves of roasted garlic, chopped cilantro or culantro: sauté for 2-3 minutes to soften.
• Once you are done sautéing vegetables with chicken, add 1 can of rinsed and drained garbanzo beans (Chick Peas) 2 cups of vegetable broth, 1 and 1/4 cups of tomato sauce, 4 medium potatoes sliced longwise, 12 Spanish Green olives, 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon of coriander, 1 bay leaf, 1 envelope Sazon Con Culantro y Achiote, season with kosher salt and pepper to taste. Stir to merge seasoning.
• Place a tight-fitting lid on Cast Iron skillet or Dutch oven and cook on very low for 1-hour stirring occasionally (may add extra vegetable broth if needed)
• Serve with white Valencia rice garnished with lemon or lime wedges and sliced avocado.

Nutrition

Serving: 01Calories: 872kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 48gFat: 58gSaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 240mgSodium: 856mgPotassium: 1642mgFiber: 11gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 947IUVitamin C: 70mgCalcium: 81mgIron: 4mg

Keyword chicken, Garbanzo, Rice

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