This easy Carne de Pollo Para Pasteles is a delicious chicken filling for Puerto Rican pasteles that’s full of traditional holiday flavor and cooks in under an hour!
If you love making Puerto Rican pasteles, you're going to want a delicious chicken version in your recipe collection. This carne de pollo is tender, delicious, and seasoned just like the traditional filling we grew up with, carne de cerdo or pork filling. While most families prepare pasteles with carne de cerdo, this chicken filling offers a lighter, equally flavorful alternative that stays true to our Puerto Rican holiday flavors.
Ingredients
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Instructions
Step 1: Sprinkle the chicken with adobo and garlic powder.
In a caldero or other large pot, add the achiote oil and heat over medium heat. Add the chicken, stir and cook for a few minutes.
Step 2: Add the seasonings, olives, tomato sauce and pimiento peppers and the water. Stir and cook for 25 minutes.
Step 3: The chicken will look beautifully brothy.
Step 4: Add the potatoes, chickpeas, cilantro and stir. Cook for an additional 15 minutes or until the chicken and potatoes are fork tender.
Step 5: Top with ¼ cup more of cilantro and set aside to cool a little before using filling for pasteles.
Other Traditional Puerto Rican Christmas Dishes
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📖 Recipe
Carne de Pollo Para Pasteles
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 chicken breasts cut into ½-inch cubes
- 2 boneless chicken thighs cut into ½-inch cubes
Seasoning for Chicken
- adobo sprinkled
- garlic powder sprinkled
Spices for Pasteles Broth
- 3 tablespoons sofrito
- 3 tablespoons garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 envelope sazon with annatto
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- ⅓ cup tomato sauce
- 5 tablespoons achiote oil
Other Ingredients
- 1 medium potato peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 cup chickpeas
- 2 whole roasted red peppers (pimientos morrones) roughly chopped
- ½ cup pimiento stuffed olives
- ¼ cup brine juice from olives
- handful fresh cilantro rinsed and chopped
- 2 cups water
- ¼ cup dry white wine optional
Instructions
- Sprinkle the chicken with adobo and garlic powder.
- In a caldero or other large pot, add the achiote oil and heat over medium heat. Add the chicken, stir and cook for a few minutes.
- Add all the spices for the pasteles broth plus the olives, tomato sauce, pimiento peppers and the water. Stir everything and cook for 25 minutes.
- Add the potatoes, chickpeas, cilantro and stir. Cook for an additional 15 minutes or until the chicken and potatoes are fork tender.
- Top with ¼ cup more of cilantro and set aside to cool a little before using filling for pasteles.
Notes
How many days in advance can I make the chicken filling for pasteles? Up to 3 days in advance. Can this “carne de pollo” be frozen? Yes, freeze in a freezer safe container or use freezer grade plastic bags for up to 3 months.
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