This authentic Vaca Frita de Pollo recipe is a treasured family dish my father, a chef in Cuba, taught me to make using his traditional twice-cooked method that creates the perfect balance of tender, juicy chicken with irresistibly crispy edges. Vaca frita de pollo (Cuban crispy shredded chicken) is one of the most beloved comfort foods in Cuban cuisine, and watching my father prepare this dish growing up showed me that the secret lies in patience – the chicken is first pressure-cooked until fall-apart tender, then marinated in a garlicky lime mojo, and finally pan-fried until golden and crispy.

This Instant Pot vaca frita recipe makes the process so much easier than the traditional stovetop method while still delivering that authentic Cuban flavor my father perfected in his kitchen. Whether you're Cuban and craving a taste of home or discovering this classic dish for the first time, this easy vaca frita de pollo is perfect for meal prep, weeknight dinners, or serving alongside white rice and black beans for a complete Cuban meal.

Growing up, vaca frita was one of my favorite dishes. It's one of my favorite comfort foods and my mom still makes it for me when she knows I need some cheering up. It's a Cuban cuisine staple that's available at most Cuban restaurants

Why you'll love this vaca frita de pollo

This is perfect for meal prepping.
This shredded chicken is a nutritious protein option for children.
Can be easily customized.
Great for weeknight dinners.

What do you eat chicken vaca frita with?

Vaca frita de pollo is traditionally paired with white rice, and black beans or plantains. Some people have recently created vaca frita de pollo sandwiches with the chicken sandwiched in a bun topped with tomatoes, potato sticks and cheese. Either option is delicious! You can also use this shredded chicken for some delicious tacos

Ingredients needed for this chicken vaca frita

Chicken Breasts
Bay leaves
Salt
Sazon completa
Water
Yellow Onions
Garlic cloves
Lime juice
Vegetable oil

Instructions needed to make this crispy shredded chicken

Place the water, salt, bay leaf sazon completa and chicken breasts into your Instant Pot and set for 40 minutes at high pressure in the meat/stew setting
Once the 40 minutes are up, release the steam and remove the beef from the pot. Reserve about ½ cup of the broth from the Instant Pot.
Using two forks, shred the cooked chicken meat to your desired size. Place the shredded chicken on a large plate or cutting board and top with the garlic, lime juice of one lime and onions and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add two tablespoons of oil. You don't want to over crowd the pan, so you may need to sear the meat in two batches.
Once the oil is hot, add in your chicken, sliced onions and minced garlic. Baste the meat with ¼ cup of reserved broth while it's sautéing. Flip the meat every couple of minutes until it reaches your desired crispness.

Variations and Substitutions for this traditional Cuban dish

If you don't have an Instant Pot available, you can use a pressure cooker .
Don't have yellow onions, you can use white onion.
If you don't have limes, you can use sour oranges.
If you don't prefer chicken breast, you can use chicken thighs.
You can also makes this dish out of beef.
Instead of water, you can opt for no-salt chicken broth.

Storage for this Cuban shredded chicken

Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for upto 4 days.

Check out these other Latin Recipes

Print Recipe