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This fricase de pollo is bone-in chicken legs simmered in spices, and tomato sauce, and cooked until falling off the bone. A fail-proof Cuban chicken stew recipe.
Serve it with white rice and fried plantains for an authentic Cuban meal.
Fricase de Pollo is a staple food in most Cuban households and I grew up eating it thanks to my grandmother. She makes this often and always invites me over when she does because she knows it’s one of my favorite meals. For more of my favorite Cuban recipes, check out this picadillo, chicharos Cubanos, and Cuban chicken noodle soup.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
- The chicken falls off the bone and almost melts in your mouth!
- It’s authentic and loaded with flavor!
- A hearty and comforting meal loaded with good ingredients like carrots and potatoes.
SHOULD I USE SKIN-ON OR SKINLESS CHICKEN?
I prefer using skinless chicken legs for this recipe but if you decide to use skin-on chicken, make sure to crisp up the skin well during the browning process.
TOP TIPS FOR THE PERFECT FRICASE DE POLLO
- If you would like to use chicken breasts for this recipe, I suggest cutting the meat into bite-sized pieces and cooking it for 20 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 F.
- Add some spinach, mushrooms, and corn to incorporate some extra veggies.
- Not a fan of potatoes? Use sweet potatoes instead.
- If you don’t have wine on hand, simply omit it.
STORAGE
If you have any leftovers, allow them to cool completely then transfer to an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or stovetop until warm.
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. And consider following me on Facebook or Pinterest!
Fricase de Pollo
Ingredients
- 3 lbs bone-in chicken , skin off
- 3 oranges
- 2 limes
- 1 teaspoon oregano, divided
- 2 teaspoons onion powder, divided
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder, divided
- 2 teaspoons Sazon, divided
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 2 medium sized peeled potatoes, cut into chunks
- ¾ cup carrots
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1/2 green bell pepper chopped, finely diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper chopped, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon dry wine or white wine
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup olives
- 3 cups water, or more if needed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Season the chicken on both sides with salt, 1 teaspoon of sazon, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon cumin, and 1 teaspoon of onion powder.
- Squeeze the orange juice and lime juice over the chicken, mix well to combine, and marinade for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the chicken to the skillet (not the marinade) and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
- Add the onions and peppers and cook for 2 minutes. Add more oil if needed.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 20 seconds. Add the tomato sauce, remaining spices, and dry white wine. Deglaze the bottom of the skillet and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
- Place the chicken back into the skillet along with the olives and 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom of the skillet.
- Once the 30 minutes are up, stir in the potatoes and carrots and cook for another 30 minutes while stirring occasionally. If the sauce starts to thicken too much, add more water.
- Check for seasoning and add more salt if needed. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If I can give it 10 stars I would. My husband usually does the cooking in my house. I wanted to surprise him and my kids by cooking a meal. Since my kids love fricase de pollo , I decided to go with this one. All I can say is that there was no leftovers. 😍😍 Thank you for sharing this recipe
You’re too kind Yoanis! Beautiful name by the way 🙂 So glad you and the family enjoyed this recipe!
I made your recipe and it’s delicious I will do it again. Thank you
So glad you enjoyed it! I really appreciate the feedback 🙂
Julie, thank you for sharing this delicious recipe of fricase de pollo! Brings back memories for my husband and I! Now making new memories for our son. All we were missing was some live rumba in the living room while I was cooking! Bless up.
I loved this comment Jasmine, so glad you enjoyed the recipe! And yes, some rumba music is always fun xoxo
Love it! Thank you 😊
Love it! My first time making today and it’s gooooddd!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂
This is one of my fave recipes to date of yours! I have made this about 6 times now and have it memorized. I tweaked it a bit by using sweet potatoes instead, adding a shallot and caramelizing the onions a bit and using chicken stock in place of water. I also use a Sauvignon Blanc. Thank you so much for this awesome recipe! It is a big hit with my gf, especially when I make it with Jasmine rice and sauteed spinach. You are awesome Julie!
So glad you and your gf enjoyed this recipe. Sweet potatoes with this sound amazing, I’ll def give it a try next time 🙂
Great recipe tried it today. My fiance loved it!!
I refer to this recipe often. It is super easy to follow and the result is the perfect fricase. I was shocked when I didn’t see any reviews so, although I never leave reviews, I had to take the time to let others know that this is a wonderful recipe!!!
Thank you so much for commenting Yemi, it means a lot. So glad you enjoy this recipe.