Name: Poul nan Sos
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Haitian
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces; 3 tbsp epis (Haitian green seasoning); 1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz); 1 cup tomato sauce; 1 green bell pepper, sliced; 1 red bell pepper, sliced; 1 large onion, sliced; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1/2 cup green olives, pitted; 2 whole cloves; 1 tsp fresh thyme; 1 tsp paprika; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1/2 Scotch bonnet pepper; Salt and black pepper to taste; 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Tender Haitian chicken braised in a rich tomato-based Creole sauce with bell peppers, green olives, and the warm note of cloves — the Sunday dinner that holds families together.

The Cultural Story

Every Haitian household has a version of poul nan sos, and every family believes theirs is the best. The chicken is first marinated in epis — a blended paste of green onion, garlic, thyme, parsley, and Scotch bonnet — a step that is non-negotiable if you want the dish to taste Haitian. The epis does not just flavor the chicken; it becomes the foundation of the entire sauce. The tomato sauce that surrounds the chicken sits somewhere between French daube and West African braised chicken, carrying the fingerprints of both traditions without being reducible to either. The olives — small green briny ones — cut through the richness with a sharpness that is unmistakably Caribbean. Cloves appear in small quantities but their warmth is unmistakable. Poul nan sos is Sunday food, holiday food, guest food. It is the dish a Haitian parent makes when they want the family to know everything is going to be okay. It is served with rice, always, and the sauce is what people fight over at the table.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
3 tbsp epis (Haitian green seasoning)
1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz)
1 cup tomato sauce
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup green olives, pitted
2 whole cloves
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 tsp paprika
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 Scotch bonnet pepper
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

1Marinate chicken pieces in epis, salt, pepper, and paprika for at least 30 minutes, overnight preferred.
2Heat olive oil in a heavy pot. Brown chicken pieces on all sides until golden, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
3In the same pot, saute onion and garlic until soft. Add bell peppers and cook 3 minutes.
4Add diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir in cloves, thyme, and Scotch bonnet. Simmer 5 minutes.
5Return chicken to pot. Add olives and enough water to partially cover the chicken.
6Cover and simmer on medium-low for 35-40 minutes until chicken is tender and sauce has thickened. Stir in parsley, adjust seasoning. Serve over white rice.

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