Chenchén con Chivo

Chenchén con Chivo is perhaps the most iconic regional dish of the Dominican southwest, a pairing of cracked dried corn cooked to a thick, grainy consistency with slow-stewed goat meat. Chenchén is made by cracking dried corn kernels and cooking them slowly with coconut milk, butter, and salt until they achieve a texture similar to coarse polenta or grits, with a subtle sweetness from the coconut.

The chivo (goat) component is prepared as a traditional chivo guisado — bone-in goat pieces braised in a rich sauce until fall-apart tender. When served together, the neutral, slightly sweet chenchén provides the perfect canvas for the boldly flavored goat stew, and the combination is considered one of the most authentic expressions of southern Dominican cuisine.

This dish is deeply tied to the identity of the Azua, San Juan, and Barahona provinces, where goat farming and corn cultivation are traditional livelihoods. It is the required dish at patron saint festivals and rural celebrations throughout the south. Visitors to the region who skip chenchén con chivo have not truly experienced southern Dominican food culture.