Cuban Chicken Fricassee
This Cuban Fricasé de Pollo recipe features bone-in chicken braised in a tomato-based sauce with potatoes, olives, and peppers for the best comfort food.
Servings: 8
Calories: 559kcal
Ingredients
- 4 lbs of bone-in chicken
- 2 teaspoons of Salt
- ½ cup of sour orange juice
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 large yellow onion peeled and sliced
- ¼ cup of vegetable oil
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 green bell pepper sliced
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- ½ cup pimento stuffed green olives
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 packet of Sazon con azafran
- 1 cup of dry cooking wine
- ½ cup of water
- 2 Idaho potatoes peeled and chopped
Instructions
- Place your chicken thighs and drumsticks in a large bowl with the sour orange, garlic salt and onion. Mix and then cover, allow to marinate for at least 2 hours.
- In a large dutch oven over medium heat with vegetable oil, add the chicken in batches to brown the chicken.
- Once all the chicken has been browned, add it all back to the dutch oven. Add to the dutch oven the onions, garlic and sour orange it was marinated in.
- Add the bell peppers, cooking wine, olives, water, spices and tomato sauce to the dutch oven. Mix to combine and cover. Lower the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.
- Peel and cut the potatoes into one inch chunks, add them to the stew at low heat. Cover and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, about 30 minutes.
- Garnish with parsley or cilantro if desired, serve with rice and enjoy.
Notes
Variations and substitutions for a traditional Cuban style chicken fricassee
Here’s a helpful list of variations and substitutions for a traditional Cuban Fricasé de Pollo that can make the dish easier to adapt to what you have on hand or to fit dietary needs:Protein Variations
-
- Chicken cuts: While bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks are most traditional, you can use boneless chicken thighs or breasts for a quicker cook time.
- Sour Orange: Don't have sour oranges? You can use ⅔ orange juice and ⅓ lime juice.
-
- Other proteins: Swap chicken for turkey (great for leftovers), pork chunks, or even beef stew meat for a different twist.
Vegetable Variations
-
- Potatoes: Substitute with sweet potatoes, malanga, or yuca for a different starchy element.
-
- Bell peppers: Use any color—green for a more traditional flavor or red/yellow for sweetness.
-
- Add-ins: Carrots, peas or calabaza can be added for extra color and nutrition.
Flavor Boosters
-
- Wine: Traditional recipes use dry white wine, but you can substitute with chicken broth or a splash of beer if needed.
-
- Tomato base: Use fresh tomatoes, or even crushed tomatoes depending on what’s available.
Serving Variations
-
- Traditionally served with white rice, but you can also pair it with yellow rice, quinoa, or even mashed yuca.