Chicken Caldereta is a Filipino tomato-sauce based chicken stew where braised tender chicken is floating with a colourful mix of bell peppers, carrots, potatoes, garlic and onions, simmered in a wonderfully flavoured creamy tomato based sauce with chillies, hint of sugar and cheese. Try out this easy to do scrumptious dish and find out why it’s one of the many favoured lunch or dinner go to in the Philippines.
A short Introduction
Chicken Caldereta or rather, ‘Caldereta’ sometimes spelled ‘Kaldereta’ and in English translates to ‘Meat stew’ is one of the mainstays of Filipino dishes. It can be made with chicken, goat, beef, or sometimes pork, with different additives like ground beef, chunks, and other cuts depending on what is readily available or how the household usually enjoys it. As a dish with history, the name is actually derived from the Spanish word for ‘Cauldron’ as the stew was traditionally made in a large pot similar to a cauldron. Based on the Iberian Peninsula’s hearty meat stew dish, this was introduced to the Philippines by the Spaniards during their 300 year occupation.
How to cook chicken caldereta? There are many delicious alterations to this dish sometimes depending on which area you live at they have their own special touch the “Chicken caldereta Batangas recipe” for example has a more vibrant color due to the addition of astute (annatto), has pickles, the richness with peanut butter, Worcestershire sauce, and butter or margarine. “Chicken caldereta Kapampangan recipe” has a slight tang due to the mix of calamansi or lemons For others it depends on personal preference; some add coconut milk to make “chicken caldereta with coconut milk” which has a nice creamier and sweeter taste, “chicken caldereta with peanut butter” is nuttier and less saucy just adding a few spoons of peanut butter can already change the dish into something better, you can also remove some ingredients like a chicken caldereta without liver spread, without the veggies, “chicken and pork caldereta” are for those who prefer a meatier experience cook the pork for a bit longer before adding the chicken and your ready to follow through the steps on the recipe down below. Dressed up or dressed down with simple ingredients this caldereta recipe is sure to WOW the crowd!
Chicken Caldereta Recipe (TAGALOG)
MGA SANGKAP:
- 1 kilo manok (hiniwa sa serving pieces)
- 1 sibuyas (hiniwa)
- 4 butil ng bawang (hiniwa)
- 2 patatas (hiniwa ng wedges)
- 1 maliit na carrot (hiniwa ng wedges)
- 1/2 tasa ng tomato sauce
- 2 kutsara ng tomato paste
- 1 tasa ng tubig
- 1 maliit na lata ng liver spread
- asin at paminta
- 2 – 3 piraso ng siling labuyo
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 kutsara ng asukal (optional)
- 1/2 tasa ng cheese
- mantika (pang-gisa)
PAANO LUTUIN:
- Magpainit ng mantika. Iprito ng bahagya ang mga patatas hanggang maging light brown. Isantabi.
- Iprito ng bahagya ang mga carrots. Isantabi.
- Igisa ang sibuyas at bawang hanggang maging light brown. Ilagay ang mga piraso ng manok at igisa ng ilang minuto. Budburan ng asin at paminta.
- Ilagay ang tomato paste at haluin ng mabuti hanggang malagyan ang bawat piraso ng manok.
- Maglagay ng tamang dami ng tubig para matakpan ang manok. Takpan ang kawali at hayaan itong maluto ng 15 – 20 minuto gamit ang katamtamang apoy.
- Ilagay ang liver spread at tomato sauce. Haluin ito ng mabuti.
- Ilagay ang toyo at ang mga pinritong carrots at patatas. Ilubog ang mga gulay sa sauce. Hayaan itong maluto gamit ang katamtamang-mababang apoy hanggang maluto ang mga gulay.
- Tikman ang sauce at iadjust ang lasa gamit ang asukal.
- Pwede mong lagyan ng cheese para maging creamy at ng sili para medyo umanghang. Ilagay ang bell peppers at haluin ng mabuti.
- Hayaan itong maluto ng ilan pang minuto at ready ang iyong chicken caldereta.
- Ilipat ang chicken caldereta sa isang serving plate at ihain kasama ang mainit na kanin. Enjoy!