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This Crockpot fricase de pollo is my Cuban grandmother’s recipe made with bone-in chicken, potatoes, carrots, peppers, olives, and a flavorful tomato-based sauce.
Everything cooks low and slow in the Crockpot until the chicken is fall-apart tender and the vegetables soak up all that delicious sauce.
Don’t own a crockpot? Make this fricase de pollo on the stovetop!
Table of Contents
Traditionally, fricase de pollo is made on the stovetop, but I love making it in the Crockpot because you can throw everything in and pretty much forget about it. Serve it with avocado and white rice so you can spoon all that delicious sauce over it! I also love serving it with platanos maduros.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s incredibly easy. There’s no browning the chicken or sautéing the vegetables beforehand. Everything goes straight into the Crockpot.
- We remove the skin from the chicken before cooking, so you still get all the flavor from the bone-in chicken without ending up with a greasy broth.
- It’s SO FLAVORFUL!
Ingredient Notes
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and complete instructions.
- Chicken – I used a combination of bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks with the skin removed. I prefer bone-in chicken for fricase because it stays juicy and adds a ton of flavor to the sauce.
- Garlic – We’re using 4 cloves. It sounds like a lot, but this is Cuban food! Don’t be shy with the garlic.
- Potatoes – I used a russet potato and cut it into chunks. Don’t cut the pieces too small or they can fall apart while cooking.
- Bell peppers – I used one red and one green bell pepper. They add flavor and a little sweetness to the sauce.
- Olives – These are optional, but I highly recommend them if you like olives. They add that salty, briny flavor that works so well with the tomato sauce.
- Sazón – Just one teaspoon adds a ton of flavor and gives the sauce that beautiful color.
- Vino seco – I didn’t use vino seco in this version, but you can absolutely add a splash if you want to.
- Sofrito – If you have homemade sofrito sitting in your fridge or freezer, throw about 3 tablespoons into the Crockpot for even more flavor. It’s not necessary, but it’s a great addition.
Top Tips
- Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper. There are a lot of ingredients going into the Crockpot, so don’t be afraid to season it well.
- I recommend removing the skin from the chicken. Since everything cooks together for several hours, leaving the skin on can make the sauce a little too greasy.
- There’s no need to add a ton of chicken stock. The chicken and vegetables release liquid as they cook, and you want the finished sauce to be rich rather than super watery.
- If you want even more flavor, add a splash of vino seco and a few tablespoons of homemade sofrito. I kept mine simple and it was still absolutely delicious.
Storage and Reheating
This tastes even better the following day!! Allow any leftovers to cool completely, then refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Reheat it on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave until heated through.
Watch How I Make This Recipe…
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Crockpot Fricase de Pollo
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 2 ½ lbs bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin removed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sazón
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 1 cup baby carrots
- 1 large russet potato, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup olives, optional
- 16 ounces tomato sauce
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Drizzle the chicken with olive oil and season with the sazón, granulated garlic, onion powder, oregano, cumin, and plenty of salt and black pepper. Rub the seasonings all over the chicken.
- Place the seasoned chicken in the Crockpot, then add the onion, carrots, potato, bell peppers, garlic, and olives.
- Pour in the tomato sauce and chicken stock, then add the bay leaves.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours, or until the chicken is very tender and the potatoes and carrots are cooked through.
- Discard the bay leaves, taste the sauce, and season generously with additional salt and black pepper if needed. Serve hot and enjoy.
Notes
- I remove the chicken skin before cooking so the sauce doesn’t become too greasy.
- Make sure to cut the potato into decent-sized chunks so it doesn’t completely fall apart in the Crockpot.
- Season generously with salt and pepper. With the chicken, potatoes, vegetables, and tomato sauce, this dish needs a good amount of seasoning.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
