When is asopao typically eaten?

Asopao is the quintessential Dominican comfort food, especially popular on rainy days, when someone is feeling under the weather, or as a late-night meal after parties. It is also a common Sunday lunch dish. Like many Dominican soups and stews, asopao is believed to have restorative properties and is often prescribed as a home remedy for colds, flu, and hangovers.

What makes asopao different from regular chicken soup?

Asopao is much thicker than a typical chicken soup due to the rice, which partially breaks down during cooking and thickens the broth. It includes distinctive ingredients like Spanish olives, capers, and cilantro that give it a Mediterranean-Caribbean flavor. The chicken is cooked on the bone for maximum flavor, and the consistency should be thick enough that a spoon almost stands up in it.

Can asopao be made with other proteins?

Yes, asopao is a versatile dish with many variations. Asopao de mariscos (seafood) with shrimp, crab, and fish is particularly popular in coastal areas. Asopao de camarones (shrimp) is another favorite. Some cooks make asopao de cerdo (pork) or asopao de res (beef). Each version follows the same basic technique but takes on the character of its featured protein.

What is the proper consistency of asopao?

A properly made asopao should be thick and porridge-like, neither as thin as broth nor as dry as regular rice. The rice should be soft and slightly overcooked, releasing its starch into the broth to create a naturally creamy consistency. It should be eaten with a spoon and be thick enough to be substantial but liquid enough to be considered a soup rather than a rice dish.

Is asopao de pollo difficult to make at home?

Asopao is actually one of the more forgiving Dominican dishes to make at home. It is essentially a one-pot meal where you simmer chicken with aromatics, add rice, and cook until everything is thick and tender. The key is using good chicken stock, not rushing the cooking, and achieving the right consistency. Unlike dishes where precise rice texture matters, asopao actually benefits from slightly overcooked, starchy rice.

🍽️

Dinner

Asopao de Pollo

Name: Asopao de Pollo
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Dominican (National)
Ingredients: chicken; rice; tomato sauce; bell peppers; peas; olives; capers; garlic; cilantro; oregano; chicken broth

A warm hug in a bowl

🌶️ Mild⏱️ 60 min📍 National

📊Difficulty:Medium

🔪Prep:15 min

🍳Cook:45 min

👥Serves:6

Asopao de Pollo is a thick, soupy rice-and-chicken dish that falls somewhere between a soup and a stew — wetter than arroz con pollo but heartier than a simple caldo (broth). The name comes from the Spanish word sopa (soup), and the "aso-" prefix implies something thicker and more substantial. Bone-in chicken pieces simmer in a richly seasoned, slightly thick broth with rice that absorbs flavor while retaining a pleasant, loose consistency.

Asopao is the Dominican dish of choice on rainy days, during cold spells (yes, the Dominican Republic has cool periods, especially in the mountains), and whenever someone needs warming comfort. It is lighter than sancocho but more substantial than a clear soup, making it the perfect in-between meal for when you want something nourishing without the heaviness of a full rice-and-meat plate. Dominican mothers swear by asopao's restorative powers for sick children, sore throats, and general malaise.

Asopao de pollo relies on a handful of core ingredients cooked with care:

Chicken: Bone-in pieces (typically a whole chicken cut into portions) contribute both meat and rich broth as they simmer. The bones are essential for body and depth.
Rice: Medium or long-grain rice is added to the broth and cooked until tender but still distinct — not mushy. The rice acts as a natural thickener.
Sofrito: The aromatic base of garlic, onion, bell pepper, cilantro, recao, and oregano that defines Dominican flavor.
Tomato sauce: Adds color and a subtle sweetness to the broth.
Olives and capers: Briny accents scattered throughout, adding pops of flavor.
Peas (petit pois): Small green peas, typically from a can, are a traditional addition that adds color and sweetness.
Pimientos: Roasted red pepper strips garnish the finished asopao.

The broth should be thick enough to coat a spoon but still liquid enough to eat with a ladle — this consistency is the defining characteristic that distinguishes asopao from drier rice dishes.

Asopao is available at many Dominican eateries, particularly during certain conditions:

Comedores: Many neighborhood lunch spots include asopao on their menu, especially during the cooler months or on rainy days when customers crave something warm and soupy.
Sunday lunch spots: Some restaurants and fondas feature asopao as a Sunday special alongside sancocho, offering a lighter alternative to the heavier stew.
Home kitchens: Asopao is fundamentally a home-cooking dish. It is what Dominican mothers and grandmothers make when someone in the family is under the weather or when the rain is pouring outside.
Seaside restaurants: Coastal restaurants in Samana, Boca Chica, and other beach towns serve asopao de mariscos (seafood asopao) as a house specialty, using the day's fresh catch.

If you visit the Dominican Republic during the cooler months of December through February, you will find asopao more frequently on menus as the slightly lower temperatures inspire demand for warm, brothy dishes.

Savor asopao the Dominican way:

Add lime: A generous squeeze of fresh lime juice over your bowl of asopao is essential. The acid brightens all the flavors and balances the richness of the broth.
Pair with avocado: Sliced avocado alongside asopao adds cool creaminess that complements the warm, soupy rice beautifully.
Try the seafood version: Asopao de mariscos — made with shrimp, fish, and sometimes crab or lobster — is a coastal delicacy worth seeking out.
Eat on rainy days: There is a near-spiritual connection between Dominican rain and asopao. If it rains during your visit, seek out a bowl of asopao and experience why Dominicans consider it the perfect rainy-day food.
Eat it with bread: Crusty bread (pan de agua) dipped into the thick broth is a satisfying way to soak up every last drop.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Asopao de pollo is a thick, soupy Dominican chicken and rice stew that falls somewhere between a soup and a risotto. The word "asopao" comes from "sopa" (soup), reflecting its brothy nature. It features chicken pieces simmered with rice, vegetables, olives, capers, and a rich tomato-based broth until the rice becomes soft and the consistency is thick and comforting. It is the Dominican equivalent of chicken soup as comfort food.

Dish Information

🍽️

Meal Type

Dinner

📊

Difficulty

Medium

⏱️

Total Time

60 minutes

👥

Servings

🌶️

Spice Level

Mild

📍

Region

National

Key Ingredients

chickenricetomato saucebell pepperspeasolivescapersgarliccilantrooregano+1 more

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Asopao de pollo relies on a handful of core ingredients cooked with care:

Chicken: Bone-in pieces (typically a whole chicken cut into portions) contribute both meat and rich broth as they simmer. The bones are essential for body and depth.
Rice: Medium or long-grain rice is added to the broth and cooked until tender but still distinct — not mushy. The rice acts as a natural thickener.
Sofrito: The aromatic base of garlic, onion, bell pepper, cilantro, recao, and oregano that defines Dominican flavor.
Tomato sauce: Adds color and a subtle sweetness to the broth.
Olives and capers: Briny accents scattered throughout, adding pops of flavor.
Peas (petit pois): Small green peas, typically from a can, are a traditional addition that adds color and sweetness.
Pimientos: Roasted red pepper strips garnish the finished asopao.

The broth should be thick enough to coat a spoon but still liquid enough to eat with a ladle — this consistency is the defining characteristic that distinguishes asopao from drier rice dishes.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Asopao de Pollo

About Asopao de Pollo

Key Ingredients

Where to Find It

Tips for Enjoying

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

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Asopao de Pollo

About Asopao de Pollo

Key Ingredients

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Tips for Enjoying

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

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Asopao de Pollo

About Asopao de Pollo

Key Ingredients

Where to Find It

Tips for Enjoying

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

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