Fricase de Pollo (Chicken Fricassee)

This Fricase de Pollo Recipe is going to take you step by step in building what will definitely become one of your favorite dishes. Fricase de Pollo is a star dish. Once you walk your way through the recipe, you are going to want to make it again and again. Any time you make it, you know it will be a hit.

What is Fricase de Pollo

Fricase de Pollo, is essentially chicken braised and simmered in a tomato sofrito sauce with potatoes. It is a one pot comfort dish with layers of flavor.

One of the best things about Fricase de Pollo is its simplicity. The ingredients are so simple, and yet it delivers such great flavor. This dish is also sneaky healthy, so you can have comfort guilt free. This recipe is packed with The Cuban Trinity (onions, garlic and peppers), and the braised tomato sauce is light and not at all heavy.

Fricase de Pollo hits all the right notes and works perfectly all year long. It’s a great one pot meal, and it only requires things that you usually have on hand. What more can you ask for?

To make a very delicious Fricase de Pollo, you are going to need to give yourself anywhere from 70-90 minutes of cook time (depending on how much you are making). Rome was not built in a day. The truth is the chicken does need to braise in the delicious sauce, and the potatoes need time to cook all the way through. The upside is it’s definitely worth the time and effort.

Our Tips for Making the Most Delicious Fricase de Pollo

• In our opinion, you should make Fricase de Pollo using dark meat. We think Chicken Thighs do hold up well to the braise and are usually more tender. You can use a bone in breast, or drumsticks as well. Always cook with what you like. Just remember that you will have to adjust how long you are cooking the chicken for.
  • For example if you are going to use chicken breast, in Step 5 when we brown the chicken in the pan, just do it for 2-3 minutes to get a good color. Do not leave it on for the 7-9 because we have to braise the chicken later and you don’t want it to over cook because it could become dry.
• A way to make it healthier and cut time: use smaller cuts of meat. You could even use a boneless breast, but just be careful of not overcooking it. The breast can dry up quickly.
• We would suggest marinating your chicken (whatever cut it is) in a little Mojo, salt and pepper, prior to pan searing it. Just make sure to pat dry it before putting it in the oil.
• If you are short on time and you want to make sure your potatoes cook, you could season them with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and oregano and bake in an oven on 400 for 15 minutes prior to putting them in to braise with the chicken. By the time the potatoes finish braising they are perfectly cooked through.
• If you do not have tomato paste, and only have tomato sauce- use it! Don’t stress over ingredients.
• This same strategy applies to your vegetables. If you don’t have the exact peppers or onions that we call for in the recipe, than you use whatever you do have on hand. It will still be delicious.

Try Some of Our other Delicious Cuban Dinner Ideas

Fricase de Pollo (Chicken Fricassee)

Recipe by Abuela's CounterCourse: EntreeCuisine: CubanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

Ingredients

• 8-10 chicken thighs (Bone-in, skin on) *See notes below

• 2 cups mojo marinade (store bought is fine but Abuela’s Counter is better)

• 1 medium/large yellow onion (diced)

• 2 red peppers (diced)

• 4 garlic cloves (minced)

• 2 small/medium russet potatoes cut into square chunks 

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 2 packets sazon goya (cilantro achiote)

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 ½  tablespoon salt (divided)

• 1 tablespoon of pepper

• 1 cup dry white cooking wine

• 2 healthy tablespoons of tomato paste 

• 1/4 cup alcaparrado olives roughly chopped, divided (pimiento stuff will also do)

• 1 tablespoon olive juice from can

• 1/4 cup chicken broth

• 1/4 cup fresh parsley for garnish

Directions

• Marinade chicken pieces in salt, and mojo overnight or at minimum 30 minutes prior to cooking.
• Once marinated, remove chicken from marinade and pat dry. *Patting dry will prevent it from splattering when you put it into the hot oil.
• Heat the olive oil in a large pot, over high heat.  Wait for the oil to get very hot. Sprinkle the chicken with salt. 
• Place the chicken skin side down, in batches if need be to not over crowd the pan. You want to get a nice brown color on the skin, this will take about 7-9 minutes depending on your stove. Then flip the chicken and cook for just about 2 minutes (doesn’t need to cook through).  Remove from pan and set aside. 
• Add the onions and red pepper to the pan. Season with salt, pepper, the packets of sazon, oregano, cumin, and saute all together until the onions are translucent. Then make a space and add your garlic. Cook the garlic for 2 minutes and mix everything together.
• Add in the tomato paste and stir it into the veggies until it starts to look cooked out takes about 2-3 minutes.  Then add in the broth and the wine to the pan and simmer with the veggies and paste for 5 minutes.
• Time to add the chicken back into the pot.  You do not drown the chicken with the broth. Keep the chicken braising without soaking the skin.
•  Add in half of the olives and the olive juice and mix well.
• Add potatoes into the pot. Nestle them around the chicken and under the chicken. Mix them in don’t be afraid to get them into the sauce so they can braise with all the flavors.
• Cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes on medium/low or low depending on your stove’s heat. Check in on it occasionally. Move the potatoes and and the chicken around. You will know it’s done with the potatoes are soft and the chicken is falling apart a little.
• Garnish with the remaining olives and chopped parsley. Serve with The Perfect White Rice or Grilled Avocado.