Dominican Pollo Guisado Lasagna

Name: Dominican Pollo Guisado Lasagna
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Caribbean
Ingredients: 2½ lb (1135 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1½-inch pieces; 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil; 1 whole (150 g) medium yellow onion, finely diced; 5 cloves (25 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1 whole (150 g) medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced into ½-inch pieces; 28 oz (800 g) tomato sauce (canned); 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken broth; ¾ cup (150 g) pitted green olives, halved; 3 tbsp (30 g) drained capers (optional); 2 tsp (4 g) ground cumin; 1½ tsp (2 g) dried oregano; to taste kosher salt; to taste freshly ground black pepper; 12 noodles (300 g) lasagna noodles (cooked and drained), cooked according to package directions, patted dry; 2½ cups (250 g) whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded; 1 cup (250 g) whole milk ricotta cheese (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A bold Caribbean-Italian fusion: layers of savory braised chicken in a sofrito-tomato sauce (pollo guisado), lasagna noodles, and melted mozzarella. The chicken is seasoned with cumin and oregano, studded with green olives and capers, then baked into a richly spiced lasagna that tastes nothing like its Italian cousin—but everything like a comforting Dominican home cook's twist.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 1 hr 15 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 1 hr 55 min
Makes: One 9×13-inch lasagna (8 servings)

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Ingredients

8 servings

2½ lb (1135 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1½-inch pieces
3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
1 whole (150 g) medium yellow onion, finely diced
5 cloves (25 g) garlic cloves, minced
1 whole (150 g) medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced into ½-inch pieces
28 oz (800 g) tomato sauce (canned)
1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
¾ cup (150 g) pitted green olives, halved
3 tbsp (30 g) drained capers (optional)
2 tsp (4 g) ground cumin
1½ tsp (2 g) dried oregano
to taste kosher salt
to taste freshly ground black pepper
12 noodles (300 g) lasagna noodles (cooked and drained), cooked according to package directions, patted dry
2½ cups (250 g) whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup (250 g) whole milk ricotta cheese (optional)

Equipment (6)

Large Dutch oven or heavy 5-quart pot with lid
9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish
Colander
Cutting board and sharp knife
Large wooden spoon
Instant-read meat thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C)
Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions and set aside on a lightly oiled surface so they don't stick
Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels—this helps them brown better
Have all ingredients prepped and measured before you start cooking

1
Brown the chicken
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Working in two batches to avoid crowding, add the chicken pieces and brown on all sides, 5–6 minutes per batch.
- Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Season generously with salt and pepper as they cook.
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Ready when: Chicken is golden-brown on all sides
Tip: Don't crowd the pan—it will steam instead of brown. Work in batches and let each piece sit undisturbed for 2–3 minutes before turning.
2
Build the sofrito base
- In the same pot, reduce heat to medium.
- Add the diced onion and sauté for 2–3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Add the minced garlic and diced green bell pepper, stirring constantly, and cook for another 2 minutes.
- You're building a sofrito foundation—the flavor base for pollo guisado.
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Ready when: Onion is translucent, garlic is fragrant and no longer raw
Tip: Stir constantly once the garlic goes in to prevent browning, which can turn it bitter.
3
Add spices and tomato
- Sprinkle the ground cumin and dried oregano over the vegetables and stir for 30 seconds to bloom the spices.
- Pour in the tomato sauce and chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits.
- Stir well to combine.
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Ready when: Sauce is smoothly combined with no lumps
Tip: Blooming the spices in the hot pan for just 30 seconds deepens their flavor before you add liquid.
4
Braise the chicken
- Return the browned chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot.
- Add the halved green olives and capers (if using).
- Stir well, then bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
- Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and braise for 35–40 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking and that the sauce coats all the chicken.
- The chicken should be very tender and the sauce should be thick, rich, and coat a spoon.
- Chicken is safe to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) when checked with a meat thermometer in the thickest piece.
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Ready when: Chicken is fork-tender, reaches 165°F (74°C) internally, and sauce is thick and coats the chicken generously
Tip: Stir every 10–15 minutes to prevent sticking on the bottom. If the sauce seems too thin after 30 minutes, you can remove the lid and let it reduce over medium heat for the last 10 minutes.
5
Taste and adjust seasoning
- Remove the pot from heat.
- Taste the pollo guisado and add salt and pepper as needed.
- Remember that the cheese and pasta will add some saltiness, so taste carefully.
- The sauce should be savory, slightly briny from the olives, and deeply flavored with cumin and oregano.
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Ready when: Flavors are balanced and satisfying
Tip: Adjust seasoning before assembling—it's much harder to fix after baking.
6
Assemble the lasagna
- Spread a thin layer of the pollo guisado sauce (about 1 cup) on the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Arrange 3–4 lasagna noodles in a single layer over the sauce.
- Spoon one-third of the remaining pollo guisado (chicken, olives, sauce and all) evenly over the noodles.
- If using ricotta, dollop one-third of it (about ⅓ cup) in spoonfuls over the sauce.
- Sprinkle one-third of the mozzarella (about ¾ cup) evenly over the top.
- Repeat this layering two more times: noodles, pollo guisado, ricotta (if using), and mozzarella.
- Finish with a final layer of 3–4 noodles and the remaining mozzarella on top.
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Ready when: All layers are neatly stacked with cheese visible on top
Tip: If you don't use ricotta, the lasagna will still be delicious—it just adds a creamy contrast. Make sure noodles are pressed gently so layers stay intact.
7
Bake until bubblyOven 375°F / 190°C
- Place the baking dish on the middle rack of the preheated 375°F (190°C) oven.
- Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes until the cheese on top is melted, golden-brown in spots, and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
- You should see some browned cheese and the edges of the lasagna should bubble slightly.
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Ready when: Cheese is melted and lightly golden, sauce bubbles at the edges of the baking dish
Tip: If the top cheese is browning too fast before the filling heats through, tent it loosely with foil for the first 15 minutes, then uncover for the last 10–15.
8
Rest before serving
- Remove the lasagna from the oven and let it rest on the counter for 10–15 minutes.
- This allows the layers to set slightly, making them easier to cut and serve without falling apart.
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Ready when: Lasagna has stopped visibly bubbling and is stable
Tip: Resist the urge to cut into it immediately—resting is what keeps your slices intact.

Good to know

Tips

Pollo guisado is traditionally made with green olives and capers—these briny, salty elements are what make it distinctly Dominican. Don't skip them even if you think you're 'not an olive person.' They're essential to the authentic flavor.
If your lasagna noodles stick together after cooking, toss them lightly with a little olive oil on a parchment-lined baking sheet. This prevents them from tearing when you layer.
For extra richness and a more traditional lasagna feel, layer thin slices of fresh mozzarella (not pre-shredded) between the ricotta and sauce. It melts beautifully and adds a silky texture.
This lasagna is forgiving—if your layers aren't perfectly even or some noodles overlap slightly, it still tastes fantastic. Focus on distributing the pollo guisado evenly so every bite has chicken and sauce.

Make ahead

You can prepare the pollo guisado (Steps 1–4) up to 2 days ahead. Cool it completely, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and reheat gently over medium-low heat before assembling. Assemble the lasagna up to 4 hours ahead, cover it tightly with plastic wrap, and bake it as directed (you may need to add 5–10 minutes to the baking time if it goes straight from the fridge to the oven).

Storage & reheating

Refrigerator (covered): up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave (2–3 minutes) or slice and reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven, covered, until warmed through (10–15 minutes). Freezer (wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil): up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Substitutions

boneless, skinless chicken thighs → boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Breasts are leaner but can dry out more easily. Watch them closely during braising and don't extend the cooking time past 35 minutes or they may become tough.
pitted green olives → pitted Spanish or Italian green olives, or a mix of green and black olives. Choose olives you enjoy eating on their own—their flavor will shine through in the lasagna. Adjust amount slightly if using larger or smaller varieties.
tomato sauce (canned) → two 14.5-oz (411 g) cans crushed tomatoes with 1 tbsp tomato paste. This gives a slightly chunkier texture and fresher tomato taste. The result will be less smooth but equally delicious.
whole milk mozzarella cheese → sharp cheddar or Gruyère. For a more island twist, aged cheddar complements pollo guisado beautifully and adds a stronger, nuttier flavor.