Pollo en Escabeche Recipe: Classic Spanish Vinegar Chicken 2026

Pollo en escabeche is a traditional Spanish dish built on one of the oldest tricks in the kitchen: vinegar. Long before refrigeration, cooks used an escabeche sauce to preserve food, and today we make it simply because it tastes wonderful. The chicken is fried until golden, then simmered gently with onions, carrots, garlic and aromatic herbs in a tangy vinegar bath.

The real beauty of this dish is that it is ideal to make ahead. Let it cool and keep it in the fridge until the next day and it will be even richer, as the flavors settle and come together. Serve it warm or at room temperature, and it works just as well shredded into salads, sandwiches, or alongside rice and pasta.

Ingredients for Pollo en Escabeche

Makes 4 servings

• 1 kg chicken, cut into pieces
• Salt
• Ground black pepper
• 100 g onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 200 g carrots
• 300 ml olive oil
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 175 ml vinegar
• 50 ml water

How to Make Pollo en Escabeche Step by Step

1. Fry the chicken and reserve the oil

Season 1 kg of chicken cut into eight pieces with salt and pepper. Heat 300 ml of olive oil in a cazuela and fry the chicken in it for 10 minutes, until nicely golden. Set the chicken aside on a plate and leave the oil in the pot.

2. Cut the onion and carrots and peel the garlic

Cut 100 g of onion into thin slices. Peel 3 garlic cloves and 200 g of carrots, then slice the carrots into half-centimeter rounds.

3. Arrange the vegetables and herbs in the pot

Spread all the vegetables over the bottom of the cazuela with the oil used to fry the chicken, along with 2 sprigs of thyme, 2 sprigs of rosemary and 2 bay leaves.

4. Add the chicken, vinegar and water

Place the chicken on top of the vegetables and pour in 175 ml of vinegar and 50 ml of water. The chicken will not be completely covered.

5. Cook for 30 minutes

Cook over medium heat with the pot covered, leaving the lid slightly ajar, for 30 minutes.

6. Serve or keep until the next day

You can eat the chicken as soon as the cooking time is up, hot or warm, but it is best to let it cool and keep it in the fridge until the next day, when it will be much more flavorful.

Tips for the Best Pollo en Escabeche

Choose tender carrots

This escabeche was made with tender carrots, which are smaller and cook faster than larger ones. If you only have large carrots, cut them thinner and in half so they soften in time.

Let it rest overnight

This dish can be kept in the fridge, so don't feel you have to eat it the same day you make it. Let it cool and store it in the refrigerator, where the flavors will settle and come together better.

Serve it your way

Enjoy it at room temperature, or use the shredded chicken in salads, sandwiches, or dishes with rice and pasta.

30 Top Recipes I Keep Coming Back to at Home

Like a lot of home cooks, I like having a go-to rotation that covers cozy comfort plates, well-known dishes from around the world, and sweets that please a crowd.

When a rich, indulgent treat is what I'm after, my picks are usually this La Viña Molten Cheesecake recipe, this refined Original French Crème Brûlée recipe, or a luscious Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe. And on days when I want something fruity and cozy, this timeless French Tarte Tatin recipe is the one I reach for.

Mornings and lighter plates call for these airy Oatmeal and Banana Pancakes recipe, a hearty Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe, or these bright Eggs Stuffed with Avocado and Salmon recipe. And for a gluten-free staple I can keep on hand, this no-fuss Gluten-Free Rice Flour recipe does the job.

Tapas and Mediterranean cooking are a mood I return to often, and I tend to cycle through this punchy Basque Tuna with Tomato recipe, these crackly Patatas Bravas Air Fryer recipe, a velvety Tirokafteri Greek Dip Sauce recipe, and a cool Burrata Salad with Tomato and Pesto recipe. This chilled Italian Vitello Tonnato recipe also makes the table when I feel like something a bit more elevated.

Come lunch or a slow dinner at home, I'm quick to suggest this warming Meatballs in Spanish Sauce recipe, a time-honored Meatballs in Almond Sauce recipe, a deep-flavored Italian Bolognese Sauce recipe, and silky Chicken Croquettes in Thermomix recipe. When hunger runs bigger, I'll bake this Greek Pastitsio Pie recipe, a homey Potatoes and Squid Stew recipe, or the deeply comforting French Boeuf Bourguignon recipe.

Street-food cravings and party spreads usually mean this saucy Homemade Chicken Doner Kebab recipe, golden Salchipapas recipe, a punchy Mexican Pork Carnitas recipe, or these crisp Korean Hobak Jeon recipe. These simple Air Fryer Zucchini Rings recipe also work nicely as a light starter or snack.

And when guests are coming and drinks are part of the plan, dinner often gets paired with a cool Original Cuban Mojito recipe, a strong Long Island Iced Tea recipe, or a jug of this fruity Bleeding Spanish Sangria recipe. To fill out the spread, I like setting out this zesty French Remoulade Sauce recipe alongside, or ending with this eye-catching Mediterranean Black Rice with Squid recipe.

Even More Tasty Recipes the Whole Family Will Enjoy

After years of trying, tweaking, and remaking dishes in my own kitchen, I've come to see that the ones that stick around are built on straightforward steps, methods you can trust, and serious flavor.

What follows is the set of recipes I keep circling back to—whether it's a fast plate just for me or a bigger spread for the people I love.

On the sweet side, the rich, silky Orange Chocolate Mousse Recipe is one I turn to when I want something that feels fancy without much fuss. Another dessert I adore is the caramelized Trdelnik Slavic Pastry Recipe, modeled on the well-known Central European chimney cake. If baking is your thing, knowing how to make syrup for better texture in desserts comes in handy, and my Inverted Sugar Recipe walks through exactly how I do it at home.

For something light and uncomplicated, I'll usually reach for the timeless Italian Caprese Salad Recipe or a flawlessly cooked Simple Poached Egg Recipe. And for heavier comfort plates, my usual picks are the filling Meatball Sandwich Recipe, the velvety Russian Stroganoff Beef Recipe, and the speedy weeknight go-to One Pot Pasta Recipe.

I'm just as happy sharing dishes with roots in other countries, like the genuine Sorropotún de Bonito Fish Stew Recipe, crunchy Chilean Pumpkin Sopaipillas Recipe, and Spain's own Cochifrito Segovian Fried Pig Recipe.

Air fryer cooking is another area I use all the time, since it cuts down on effort while still giving you excellent results. The ones I make most are Air Fryer Pork Ribs Recipe, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe, Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Peppers Recipe, Air Fryer Mixed Sandwich Recipe, Air Fryer Toasted Bread Recipe, and Air Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs Recipe.

And for those steering clear of wheat, my cozy Gluten-Free Lasagna Recipe shows that a baked pasta classic can still be creamy, cheesy, and completely satisfying without any gluten.

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