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Overview

Gallina Casera

Stewed Hen, Paraguayan Home-Style Stewed Hen, Ryguasu Guisado

This gallina casera recipe braises a whole stewing hen low and slow in a tomato, onion and locote sofrito with potatoes and carrots until the meat turns meltingly tender. One serving is about 643 g, a generous plate of hen, vegetables and sauce.

Gallina casera — home hen — is the Paraguayan farmhouse answer to a tough old laying hen: a bird too firm for roasting becomes tender after a long, slow braise, a thrifty tradition shared across the Río de la Plata countryside. In Guaraní the bird is ryguasu, and the dish belongs to the same home-cooking tradition as bori bori and caldo ava, where one pot, a sofrito of onion, tomato and locote, and boiled mandioca feed the whole family.

Pairs well with: Boiled mandioca and white rice, with chopped parsley and lime wedges on the side.

Provenance

Paraguay flag Paraguay

Paraguayan Heritage

Latin America & Caribbean

Time Dedication

2h 20m

25m prep • 115m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

823 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 643 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Slow Braise (One Pot)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Hearty Midday Main

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Occasions: Family dinner, Sunday dinner, cold-weather dinner, hearty dinner Cost: Low — about $3–4 per serving at home
Tags: Chicken Savory Braised
Browned chicken pieces braised in a glossy brown sauce with softened onion in a pot

Paraguayan Heritage

Photo: Xaymacan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Low — about $3–4 per serving at home (USD)

A classic Paraguayan home stew: a whole stewing hen braised with potatoes and carrots until meltingly tender.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 2h 20m
P

Prep Stage: Hen, Sofrito and Vegetables

25 Mins • Prep

Cut the stewing hen into 8 pieces through the joints, pat very dry and season with half the salt, the cumin, oregano and pepper. Peel and quarter the potatoes, peel and slice the carrots, dice the onion, locote and tomatoes, and mince the garlic. Measure the stock and chop the parsley.

Maestro Tip: Pat the hen very dry before browning — wet skin steams instead of browning, and browning is where the sauce gets its colour.

  1. 1

    Season and Brown the Hen

    12 Mins Medium-high heat, about 200°C (400°F)

    Heat the oil in a large heavy pot until it shimmers. Brown the hen pieces in batches, skin-side down first, about 3 minutes a side, until deep golden all over. Lift out and set aside — do not crowd the pot, or the hen will steam.

    Brown in two batches if the pot is crowded; the browned bits on the pot bottom are flavour, not burning.

    Done when: Deep golden-brown skin on every piece; the pot bottom is coated in browned bits.

  2. 2

    Build the Sofrito

    8 Mins Medium heat, about 180°C (350°F)

    Lower the heat and soften the onion and locote in the same pot for about 5 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, then stir in the tomatoes and cook 2 minutes until they break down into a thick, jammy paste.

    If the pot bottom starts to catch, add a splash of stock and scrape — that colour belongs in the sauce.

    Done when: The onion is soft and sweet and the tomato has broken down into a thick paste.

  3. 3

    Braise the Hen Low and Slow

    60 Mins Low simmer, about 95°C (200°F)

    Return the hen to the pot and pour in the stock until it comes about two-thirds up the pieces. Bring to the barest simmer, cover with the lid ajar and cook gently for 60 minutes, turning the pieces once halfway through.

    Keep the simmer lazy — a few bubbles breaking the surface, never a rolling boil, or the hen will toughen.

    Done when: The meat is starting to pull from the bone and the sauce has darkened to a rich brown.

  4. 4

    Add the Potatoes and Carrots

    25 Mins Low simmer, about 95°C (200°F)

    Nestle the potatoes and carrots into the pot around the hen, spooning sauce over them. Cover and simmer 25 minutes more until the vegetables are tender. Check the thickest piece of hen with a thermometer — it must read 74°C (165°F) at the bone.

    If the sauce is too thin, lift the lid for the last 10 minutes so it reduces around the hen.

    Done when: The potatoes break easily with a fork and the thickest piece of hen reads 74°C (165°F) at the bone.

  5. 5

    Rest and Serve

    10 Mins Serving temperature, about 70°C (158°F)

    Take the pot off the heat and rest, covered, for 10 minutes so the sauce settles and the meat relaxes. Scatter the parsley over the top and serve straight from the pot with boiled mandioca and white rice.

    Resting matters with a stewing hen — carve into it too soon and the meat tightens up again.

    Done when: The sauce coats the hen in a glossy layer and the meat is tender enough to cut with a spoon.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Serve the gallina casera hot, straight from the pot, with boiled mandioca and white rice to catch the sauce. The hen should be so tender it nearly falls from the bone — if it still resists, give it another 15 minutes in the pot.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

823

kcal / serving

Protein

62g

Complete AA

Carbs

30g

Complex

Fats

50g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 643 g)
Energy823 kcal
Protein62 g
Carbohydrates30 g
Fat50 g
Fibre5.5 g
Sugar6.5 g
Sodium885 mg
Per 100g
Energy128 kcal
Protein9.6 g
Carbohydrates4.6 g
Fat7.7 g
Fibre0.9 g
Sugar1 g
Sodium138 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Stewing hen supplies protein, iron, zinc and B vitamins, the potatoes and carrots add potassium and vitamin A, and the tomato and locote add vitamin C.

Slow-Braised and Filling

About 823 kcal per serving with 61.6 g of protein from the hen — a dinner that genuinely fills you up.

Iron, Zinc and B Vitamins

Stewing hen is a strong source of iron, zinc and B vitamins, with potatoes and carrots adding potassium and vitamin A.

One-Pot Family Dinner

A single pot, a long gentle simmer and almost no hands-on work — the pot does the cooking while you get on with the evening.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

Boiled Mandioca

Soft boiled cassava is the classic Paraguayan partner — its mild starch soaks up the rich brown sauce.

Vegetables

Simple Tomato Salad

Crisp tomato, onion and lime cut through the rich hen and freshen the plate.

Drinks

Tereré

Paraguay's cold yerba mate is the traditional drink with a hot dinner, and its herbal edge balances the hen.

Full Menus

Paraguayan Family Dinner

Serve as the main course with mandioca, rice and tomato salad, then dulce de batata to finish — a full Paraguayan evening meal.

Complete menu

Serve as the main course of a Paraguayan dinner with boiled mandioca, white rice and a simple tomato salad, then dulce de batata to finish — the stewed hen is the heart of the meal.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Do Not Rush the Braise

A stewing hen is a mature, firm bird — cutting the braise short leaves the meat tough and stringy, however good the sauce tastes. Give it the full slow simmer until it yields. This is general food information, not medical advice.

Do Not Boil Hard

A rolling boil toughens the hen, clouds the sauce and dries the meat out. Keep the pot at a lazy simmer, with only a few bubbles breaking the surface. This is general food information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA hearty, filling dinner — one plate with mandioca and rice is a complete evening meal.
  • ChildrenTender meat and soft vegetables; pull the meat off the bone and cut it small for young children.
  • ElderlySoft, tender textures once the hen is fully braised; serve warm, not piping hot, and cut the meat small if chewing is difficult.
  • Pregnant womenA nourishing hen stew; the meat must be cooked through to 74°C (165°F) at the bone, and keep portions modest if heartburn is an issue.
  • Breastfeeding womenA nourishing, iron-rich stew; the hen adds protein and B vitamins for nursing mothers.
  • AthletesA strong recovery dinner with about 61.6 g of protein per serving plus carbohydrate from the potatoes.
  • Weight gainAt about 823 kcal a plate with mandioca and rice on the side, it is an easy way to add energy.
  • Weight lossA rich plate — take a smaller serving of hen, favour the vegetables, and skip the second helping of rice.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesAbout 29.9 g of carbohydrate per serving, mostly from the potatoes and carrots. Keep to one plate and favour the hen and vegetables. Ask your clinician about portion size.
  • High blood pressureAbout 885 mg of sodium per serving from the salt and the stock. Use low-sodium stock and skip extra salt at the table. Ask your clinician about portion size.
  • Kidney diseaseChicken and potatoes are fairly high in potassium and phosphorus; keep portions modest and avoid extra salt. Ask your clinician about portion size.
  • GoutChicken and its cooking liquid are moderately high in purines; keep portions modest and drink water with the meal. Ask your clinician about portion size.
  • Stomach issuesA gentle, slow-cooked stew, though the tomato, onion and locote can bother a sensitive stomach; eat slowly and keep the portion modest. Ask your clinician about portion size.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseThe hen is cooked with its skin on, so the dish is fairly high in saturated fat — about 49.7 g of fat per serving. Removing the skin before eating lowers the fat. Ask your clinician about portion size.
  • Fatty liverA rich, fatty stew — take a smaller portion, remove the skin, and favour the vegetables over the sauce. Ask your clinician about portion size.
  • Food allergiesContains chicken. A poultry allergy is uncommon but real — anyone allergic to chicken should avoid this dish entirely. Ask your clinician about safe alternatives.
  • Special therapeutic dietsA high-protein, high-fat braise that fits a general diet but not a low-fat or low-purine plan without changes. Ask your clinician about portion size.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool quickly and store the hen and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge.
In the fridge
3 days in an airtight container. The flavour deepens overnight.
In the freezer
Up to 3 months — freeze the hen and sauce in portions; freeze the potatoes separately, as they turn grainy.
How to reheat
Reheat gently on the stove until steaming and the hen reaches 74°C (165°F) through; add a splash of hot stock if the sauce has thickened.
Freezing recommended
Yes for the hen and sauce — freeze the potatoes separately, as they turn grainy.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour smell, a slimy sauce, or grey, dull meat.

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