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Estofado Oaxaqueño

Deeply rooted in Oaxacan tradition, Estofado Oaxaqueño is the state’s elegant Spanish-influenced stew.

⏱ 40 minPrep time
🔥 90 minCook time
🍽 6Servings
🏷 DinnerCategory
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Oaxacan estofado chicken stew with olives and capers

Deeply rooted in Oaxacan tradition, Estofado Oaxaqueño is the state’s elegant Spanish-influenced stew. Chicken simmers in a sauce of roasted tomatoes, guajillo chiles and warm spices, finished with green olives, capers, raisins and almonds in the style of old colonial cocinas. Sweet, salty and tangy at once, it is a fiesta dish that tastes like Oaxaca’s history on a plate.

Step by stepInstructions

  1. Brown the meat in the oil in a large pot, then set it aside.
  2. Toast the chiles on a comal, soak in hot water for 20 minutes, then blend with the charred tomatoes, onion, garlic, cumin and a little broth until smooth; strain.
  3. Pour the puree into the pot and fry, stirring, for 10 minutes until it thickens.
  4. Add the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, the meat and enough broth or water to cover; simmer gently for 45 minutes.
  5. Stir in the olives, capers, raisins and almonds and simmer 15 minutes more.
  6. Season with salt and pepper and serve with white rice.

💡 Chef tips & storage

The olives, capers and raisins are the signature of this dish — do not leave them out, though you can adjust proportions to taste. It tastes even better made a day ahead.

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Recipe details

Prep40 min
Cook90 min
Servings6
CategoryDinner
PublishedAugust 17, 2026
Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →