Argentine Plow Disc Chicken Stew

Pollo al disco is a typical dish of rural Argentine cuisine, traditionally cooked on a disco de arado, the large metal plow disc set over fire that works like a giant frying pan.

It’s said to have originated when farmhands invented a way to prepare meals with what they had on hand, making use of the plow disc they already used to work the land.

Argentine Plow Disc Chicken Stew

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings
• Category: Main Course
• Cuisine: Argentine

Print Recipe

---

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg of chicken, cut into pieces (about 3.3 lb)
• 100 ml of oil (about 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp)
• 2 of onions, cubed
• 2 of bell peppers, cubed
• 2 of carrots, sliced
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 4 of potatoes, cubed
• 200 ml of white wine (about 3/4 cup)
• to taste of salt, pepper, and paprika

---

Instructions

1. Heat the disc, heat the oil on the plow disc (or a large skillet or wok) over high heat.
2. Brown the chicken, add the chicken pieces and brown on both sides.
3. Sauté the vegetables, in the same oil, add the onion, bell pepper, carrot, and garlic, sautéing for a few minutes.
4. Add the potatoes, stir in the cubed potatoes and mix well with the vegetables.
5. Add the wine, pour in the white wine and season with salt, pepper, and paprika.
6. Cook covered, cover the disc and cook over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender.
7. Serve, serve hot, straight from the disc.

Tips for getting it right

• Browning the chicken well before adding the vegetables gives the finished dish more flavor.
• If a plow disc isn’t available, it can be replaced with a large skillet or a wok.
• Cooking covered helps the chicken and potatoes cook evenly and stay juicy.
• Paprika gives the dish its characteristic color and flavor, typical of Argentine countryside cooking.

Traditional variations

• Some families add corn kernels or peas to the preparation.
• It’s also made with beer instead of white wine, depending on the region.

How to serve

Pollo al disco is served hot, straight from the disc, as a main dish for sharing.

It’s a classic at Argentine countryside gatherings, ideal alongside mashed potatoes or rice.

Recommended sides

• Mashed potatoes
• White rice

Did you know?

The plow disc, originally a farming tool, became a characteristic cooking utensil of the Argentine countryside.

The dish was born from the creativity of rural farmhands, who made use of the disc already available on the farm to cook their meals.