Chicken Fricassee is the ultimate in Cuban comfort food. In Spanish it’s called Fricase de Pollo, and it’s dark meat chicken braised in a flavorful tomato sauce until it is fall-off-the-bone. Tender potatoes and salty olives finish this dish beautifully. Serve the chicken fricassee on generous bed of white rice for a filling, delicious, meal. If you need more deliciously different chicken recipes, try this white chicken fricassee, which is made with a white sauce instead of red. If you want a hearty beef dish try this carne con papas recipe. Enjoy!
Ingredients
2 lbs. Chicken legs, thighs, or both, about 6-8 pieces
1 tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Ground Cumin
½ tsp. Oregano
¼ tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper
2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Small Onion, finely diced
3-4 Garlic Cloves, minced
½ cup White Wine (substitute chicken broth if desired)
1 can 8 oz. Tomato Sauce
½ cup Water
1 Bay Leaf
1 Large Potato, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
½ cup Pitted Spanish Olives
Instructions
Season the chicken with the salt, cumin, oregano and black pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet or a large pot over medium heat, add chicken. Cook the chicken for about 10 minutes – about 5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the skillet onto a plate and keep warm. Tent the chicken with aluminum foil, and/or put the plate in the microwave – the chicken will stay warm away from drafts. Note: The chicken will not be cooked through; it will finish cooking in the sauce.
Add the onions to the skillet. Cook 2-3 minutes until they’re translucent, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Next, add the wine, to the skillet, stir, scrapping all the bits off the bottom of the skillet until the liquid has evaporated – about 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the tomato sauce, water and the bay leaf to the skillet and stir. Then, add the chicken back to the skillet (including any juices collected on the plate). When the sauce comes back to a simmer, lower the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook the chicken fricassee at a simmer for 15 minutes. If the liquid is boiling too vigorously lower the heat a bit.
Uncover the skillet, give the chicken and sauce a quick stir, then add the potatoes and olives. Cover the chicken fricassee and cook, on medium-low heat, another 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender and the internal temperature of the chicken is at least 165°F, stirring occasionally.
Serve the Chicken Fricassee on a bed of white rice, if desired.
Serves 4-6
Chicken Fricassee, called Fricase de Pollo in Spanish, is the ultimate in Cuban comfort food.
- 2 lbs. Chicken legs thighs, or both, about 6-8 pieces
- 1 tsp. Salt
- ½ tsp. Ground Cumin
- ½ tsp. Oregano
- ¼ tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper
- 2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Small Onion finely diced
- 3-4 Garlic Cloves minced
- ½ cup White Wine substitute chicken broth if desired
- 8 oz. can Tomato Sauce
- ½ cup Water
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 Large Potato cut into 1-2 inch pieces
- ½ cup Pitted Spanish Olives
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Season the chicken with the salt, cumin, oregano and black pepper.
-
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet or a large pot over medium heat, add chicken. Cook the chicken for about 10 minutes – about 5 minutes per side.
-
Remove the chicken from the skillet onto a plate and keep warm.
-
Add the onions , cook 2-3 minutes until translucent, stirring frequently.
-
Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.
-
Add the wine, to the skillet, stir, scrapping all the bits off the bottom of the skillet until the liquid has evaporated – about 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently.
-
Add the tomato sauce, water and the bay leaf to the skillet and stir.
-
Add the chicken back to the skillet (including any juices collected on the plate) when the sauce comes back to a simmer, lower the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook the chicken fricassee at a simmer for 15 minutes.
-
Uncover the skillet, give the chicken and sauce a quick stir, then add the potatoes and olives. Cover the chicken fricassee and cook, on medium-low heat, another 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender and the internal temperature of the chicken is at least 165°F, stirring occasionally.
