AI-generated image
Gallo en chicha
Rooster in sweet-sour corn sauce
Gallo en chicha: Nicaragua's Christmas rooster in sweet-sour corn chicha sauce
Gallo en chicha is a festive dish of Granada and Masaya in Nicaragua, cooked for Christmas Eve and the purísima season. A rooster (today usually a large chicken) is stewed in chicha, a fermented corn drink, with raisins, prunes, olives, capers and spices until the sauce is thick, dark and sweet-sour. Traditional chicha can be slightly alcoholic; this recipe gives a quick unfermented version made from masa and pineapple, so it is alcohol-free. Serve with rice and plantains. Chef's tip: brown the chicken well first, as the dark sauce relies on that caramelised flavour.
- Total time
- 150 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the quick chicha
- 2 ⅛ oz masa harina
- 2 cups pineapple juice
- 3 tbsp pineapple or cider vinegar
- 2 ⅞ oz panela or dark brown sugar
For the chicken
- 4 ⅞ lb large chicken or roosterin 10 pieces
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp oil
- 2 onionschopped
- 1 red pepperchopped
- 4 cloves garlicchopped
- 3 tomatoeschopped
- 1 tbsp achiote paste
- 4 cloves
- 2 ⅞ oz raisins
- 3 ½ oz pitted prunes
- 2 ⅞ oz green olives
- 2 tbsp capers
- 1 ¼ cups water
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (4)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Whisk 2 ⅛ oz masa harina into 2 cups pineapple juice with 3 tbsp pineapple or cider vinegar and 2 ⅞ oz panela or dark brown sugar. Simmer, whisking, for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. This is the quick chicha.
5 minStep 2: Season 4 ⅞ lb large chicken or rooster with 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Brown in 3 tbsp oil in batches over a medium-high heat for 8–10 minutes until deep golden. Lift out.
20 minStep 3: Fry 2 onions, 1 red pepper and 4 cloves garlic in the same pot for 6 minutes. Add 3 tomatoes and 1 tbsp achiote paste and cook for 5 minutes, until saucy.
11 minStep 4: Return the chicken, pour in the chicha and 1 ¼ cups water, add 4 cloves and 1 cinnamon stick, cover and simmer gently for 50 minutes.
50 minStep 5: Add 2 ⅞ oz raisins, 3 ½ oz pitted prunes, 2 ⅞ oz green olives and 2 tbsp capers and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, until the sauce is thick and glossy and the thickest thigh reads 165°F. A common mistake is stirring too often: the prunes fall apart.
20 minStep 6: Taste and balance with a little more vinegar or sugar. Serve with white rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 44 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gallo en chicha take?
- About 150 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 120 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of pineapple or cider vinegar?
- Lemon juice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of panela or dark brown sugar?
- White sugar + 1 tbsp molasses or treacle per 200g.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Arroz con pitu de caleyaSoupy rice with chicken
A pitu de caleya is a cockerel raised free in the lanes, or caleyas, of rural Asturias; its firm, flavourful meat needs long stewing, and families around Villaviciosa and Grado still cook it for feast days. The stew is often finished as a soupy rice, so the deep chicken juices go into every grain. Use the best free-range chicken you can find. The braise includes dry white wine; replace it with extra stock and a squeeze of lemon if you want it alcohol-free. Chef's tip: brown the chicken slowly and deeply; that colour is where the flavour of the whole pot comes from.
Spanish
Chicken kdra with almonds
Kdra takes its name from the tall copper pot it was cooked in, and in Fez it is a festive dish for weddings and family gatherings rather than an everyday tagine. The sauce is the point: kilos of onion melted down with smen, saffron, white pepper and cinnamon until it turns pale gold and creamy, with no tomato or paprika at all. Soft chickpeas and almonds simmered until tender go into it, and the whole thing is scooped up with bread. Expect a mellow, perfumed, buttery richness rather than heat. Chef's tip: soak and simmer the blanched almonds with the chicken; they lose their crunch and become creamy like the chickpeas, which is how Fassi cooks like them.
Moroccan
Chicken tikka masala
Marinating the chicken in spiced yoghurt keeps it tender, and a few minutes under a hot grill gives it the smoky char of a tandoor. The sauce is rich but not heavy, finished with a little cream and dried fenugreek leaves.
Indian