Gallina con Guisantes

A comforting classic that brings together history, home cooking and that unmistakable tomato richness in every bite.  Filipino gallina con guisantes with chicken, tomatoes, peas, potatoes and carrots, a classic Spanish influenced stew.

There are dishes you grow up eating, and then there are those you only truly discover later in life. Gallina con Guisantes falls somewhere in between for me. I probably had something similar before, but I never associated it with this name.

It was only recently, while going through the cookbooks and notes I inherited from my mum, that I came across it. The recipe was tucked inside an old cookbook called Galing Galing, one of those that instantly takes you back to a different era. Seeing it there made me curious, and like many recipes I have been rediscovering, I decided to make it exactly as written.

A Dish with Spanish Roots

Gallina con Guisantes literally means chicken with peas in Spanish. Its origins trace back to Spain, where similar dishes were part of everyday cooking. These were simple, home-style braises built around chicken, vegetables and a tomato-based sauce.

When Spain colonised the Philippines, these cooking techniques made their way into local kitchens. Over time, Filipino cooks adapted them, shaping the dish into something more familiar to local tastes.

The Filipino version became richer in tomatoes, slightly sweeter and more suited to being served with rice rather than bread. It also embraced the use of vegetables like carrots and potatoes, making it heartier and more filling.

A Place Among Filipino Classics

In the Philippines, Gallina con Guisantes sits comfortably alongside dishes like afritada, menudo and caldereta. They all share that same tomato-based foundation, but each has its own identity.

What sets this one apart is its simplicity. It does not try to do too much. It focuses on chicken, peas and a well-balanced sauce, allowing each ingredient to stand out.

It is the kind of dish that feels familiar even if you are trying it for the first time.

The Nora Daza Influence

While this dish was not created by Nora Daza, her role in preserving recipes like this cannot be overstated. She helped document and standardise many Spanish-Filipino dishes at a time when they could have easily been forgotten.

Her cookbooks introduced these recipes to a wider audience, making them accessible to home cooks both in the Philippines and abroad. For many families, her versions became the reference point.

Finding this recipe in one of those older cookbooks felt like uncovering a small piece of culinary history.

Cooking It My Way

For this version, I made a small adjustment. Instead of using a whole chicken, I went with chicken leg parts. It is just a personal preference. I find that darker meat works better in dishes like this, staying juicy and absorbing more flavour.

The process itself is straightforward. The chicken is dredged in seasoned flour and browned, building that initial layer of flavour. Then the vegetables and stock come in, and everything slowly simmers until tender.

It is simple cooking, but it is exactly the kind that delivers the most comfort.

A Dish That Feels Like Home

What I appreciate about Gallina con Guisantes is how grounded it feels. It is not flashy, it does not try to impress, but it delivers in the way that matters.

It is the kind of dish you imagine sitting at the centre of a table, surrounded by rice and family. The kind that fills the house with that familiar aroma of tomatoes, garlic and slow cooking.

It is food that tells a story without needing to say much.

Final Thoughts

Gallina con Guisantes is a reminder of how Filipino cuisine has been shaped over time. It carries Spanish influence, but it has fully embraced its Filipino identity.

For me, it is also part of a larger journey of rediscovering recipes that were always there, just waiting to be noticed again.

And sometimes, those are the ones that stay with you the most.

Gallina con Guisantes

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Raymund
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 5 1x
• Category: Main Course
• Cuisine: Filipino

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Description

A comforting classic that brings together history, home cooking and that unmistakable tomato richness in every bite.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 kg chicken legs (drumsticks and/or thighs)
• 2 carrots, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 potatoes, quartered
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pinch dried oregano
• 1 cup green peas (canned or fresh)
• 1 bunch leeks, sliced into pieces
• 4 cups good chicken or beef stock
• 2 cups flour (for dredging)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup cooking oil
• 1 tsp MSG (optional, e.g. Ajinomoto)

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Instructions

1. Pat the chicken legs dry. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
2. In a bowl, combine flour, salt, and pepper. Toss the chicken pieces until lightly coated.
3. Heat butter and oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
4. Fry the chicken in batches until golden brown on all sides. Remove and set aside.
5. In the same pot, add the carrots, leeks, bay leaf, and oregano. Cook briefly to release aroma.
6. Return the chicken to the pot and pour in the hot stock.
7. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer.
8. Simmer for about 20–25 minutes until the chicken is halfway tender.
9. Add the quartered potatoes and continue cooking until both chicken and potatoes are tender.
10. Stir in the green peas near the end of cooking (especially if canned) and simmer for a few more minutes.
11. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and optional MSG.
12. The broth should be slightly thickened from the flour coating.
13. Serve hot with rice or crusty bread.

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