Entree: El Salvador – Southern Culinary Region – Gallo en Chicha (braised chicken in sweet-spiced sauce)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 1 hr 5 min

Total 1 hr 25 min

Ingredients

- 3 lb (1.36 kg) bone-in chicken pieces (rooster preferred), cut into 8 pieces
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup (240 ml) chicha de maíz (fermented corn drink) or substitute strong dark beer or tamarind-based drink if unavailable
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) water
- 1 cup (200 g) panela or piloncillo, grated or chopped
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) dark unsweetened fruit juice (such as black grape or tamarind) or additional chicha
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 whole cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp (5 g) ground allspice
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) apple cider vinegar or cane vinegar
- 1 tbsp (15 g) tomato paste
- 1 tsp (5 g) ground achiote (annatto) or 1 tbsp (15 ml) achiote oil for color
- 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp (2 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup (15 g) chopped fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Pat the chicken pieces dry and season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat and brown the chicken in batches until golden on all sides, about 6–8 minutes per batch. Remove and set aside.
2. Reduce heat to medium, add the sliced onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Stir in the grated panela, cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaves, ground allspice, and achiote. Pour in the chicha, dark fruit juice (or substitute), water, and vinegar, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
4. Return the browned chicken to the pot, bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and braise until the chicken is tender and the sauce is slightly reduced and glossy, about 45–60 minutes (longer if using mature rooster).
5. Remove the lid for the last 10–15 minutes to concentrate the sauce, spooning it over the chicken occasionally. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
6. Transfer chicken to a serving platter, spoon the reduced sauce over the top, and garnish with chopped cilantro if desired. Serve hot with white rice, corn tortillas, or tortillas de maíz to soak up the sauce.