Pollo con Ciruelas Recipe: Sweet Catalan Chicken Stew 2026

Pollo con ciruelas, also known as pollo a la catalana, is a beloved chicken stew from Catalonia that pairs golden browned chicken with sweet prunes, toasted pine nuts and a warm hint of cinnamon. The sauce comes together slowly with onion, garlic, grated tomato and a splash of white wine, so every bite is rich and deeply savory.

We like to use chicken thighs and drumsticks because they stay juicy through the simmer, though a whole chicken cut into quarters or eighths works beautifully too. A handful of raisins or dried apricots can join the prunes and pine nuts for an even fruitier sauce. Keep plenty of crusty bread nearby, because the sauce is the best part.

Ingredients for Pollo con Ciruelas

This makes 4 generous servings.

• 1 kg chicken, cut into eighths
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 200 g onions
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 tomatoes
• 100 ml white wine or brandy
• 100 g prunes
• 30 g pine nuts
• 200 ml chicken broth
• Salt
• Ground black pepper

How to Make Pollo con Ciruelas Step by Step

1. Brown the chicken

Season 1 kg of chicken cut into eighths with salt and ground black pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy pot and brown the chicken on all sides until golden.

2. Add onion, garlic and cinnamon

Peel and chop 200 g of onions and press 3 garlic cloves, then add both to the pot along with 1 cinnamon stick. Stir everything together and cook for 10 minutes.

3. Stir in the grated tomato

Meanwhile, grate 2 ripe red tomatoes and add them to the stew. Cook for another 10 minutes, stirring from time to time.

4. Reduce the wine and add prunes, pine nuts and broth

Pour in 100 ml of white wine and let it reduce for 5 minutes. Then add 100 g of prunes, 30 g of pine nuts and 200 ml of chicken broth to the pot.

5. Simmer for 15 minutes

Bring everything to a boil, lower the heat and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked. To check, pierce the thickest part of a piece with a skewer; the juices should run clear.

6. Serve

Serve the pollo con ciruelas hot straight from the pot, spooning plenty of sauce, prunes and pine nuts over each portion.

Tips for the Best Pollo con Ciruelas

Choose the right chicken pieces

Thighs and drumsticks are our favorite because they stay tender during the simmer, but a whole chicken cut into quarters or eighths also works well. Add a handful of raisins and dried apricots alongside the prunes and pine nuts for extra sweetness.

Adjust the cooking time to the size of the pieces

Cooking time depends on how large your chicken pieces are. Cut into quarters, the chicken needs about 30 minutes after the broth goes in, rather than the 15 minutes it takes when cut into eighths.

Let it rest for even more flavor

This stew can be eaten freshly made, but it improves a lot if you let it rest in the fridge until the next day, when the flavors have had time to mingle.

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.

Gluten free Empanada Dough Recipe 🍕 Fluffy Apple Cake Recipe 🍔 Langos Hungarian Fried Bread Recipe 🌭 Gluten Free French Brioche Recipe 🍟 Madeira British Sponge Cake Recipe 🌮 Chocolate Argentinian Cookies Alfajores Recipe 🌯 Barmbrack Irish Sweet Bread Recipe 🥙 Gluten free Cookies Recipe 🥗 Homemade cream Maruxas Galician Biscuit Recipe 🍝 Japanese Dumplings Gyoza Dough Recipe

American Gluten Free Cookies Recipe 🍜 Gluten Free King Cake Recipe 🍲 Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe 🍛 Extremadura Style Chard Recipe 🍣 Keto Sliced Sandwich Bread Recipe 🍱 Gluten Free Waffles Recipe 🍤 Low Carb Keto Pizza Recipe 🍗 Gluten Free Bread Rolls Recipe 🍖 Flourless Gluten Free Bread Buns Recipe 🥓 Protein Ice Cream Recipe 🥞 Chia Pudding Dessert with Seeds Recipe

Fluffy Cloud Bread Pan Nube Recipe 🧇 Quinoa Bread Recipe 🍞 Schiacciata Tuscan Focaccia Flat Bread Recipe 🥐 Shokupan Japanese Milk Bread Recipe 🥨 Potato Sandwich Bread Recipe 🧀 Homemade Breadsticks Recipe 🍳 Stollen German Dried Fruits Cake Recipe 🥚 French Gingerbread Spiced Cake Recipe 🍰 Gluten Free Pancakes Recipe

🥔 Potato-omelet-in-Thermomix 🍓 Smores-Sandwich-Dessert 🍰 Womens-Day-Mimosa-cake ☕ Coffee-Sorbet 🍆 Eggplant-pizza 🍋 Ciambella-Italian-Lemon-Cake 🥖 Zapiekanka-Polish-Snack 🌰 Dukkah-Egyptian-Nuts-Mix 🧆 Best-Hummus 🥑 Best-Avocado