Want to know what the epitome of a Sunday dinner in a Cuban household is after Arroz Con Pollo or Arroz Con Pollo A La Chorrera? It’s this Fricase De Pollo recipe!

Fricase de pollo [pronounced free-kah-seh deh poh-yoh] is a Cuban chicken fricassee. It’s one of my favorite Cuban-style soups and stews.

Fricassee is a French cooking method where you braise the chicken first without a sauce and then cook it as a stew with a sauce.

Unlike the French version that’s made with a thick white sauce, however, fricase de pollo cubano is made with potatoes, capers, and olives in a tomato-based, broth-like wine sauce. It’s so full of flavor!

Let me show you how to make it.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Authentic, Bold Cuban Flavors. This Cuban chicken stew is bursting with flavor. The combination of the tender chicken, flavorful sauce, and accompanying starchy sides like white rice or boiled yuca provide a comforting and fulfilling eating experience.

• Easy to Make. While the flavors of fricase de pollo may seem complex, this chicken stew with potatoes is relatively simple to make. It doesn’t require extensive culinary skills or hard-to-find ingredients, making it accessible to home cooks of all levels.

• Family-Friendly & Perfect For Leftovers. As I mentioned before, fricase de pollo is your typical Sunday supper. This chicken thigh stew is a versatile dish that can be enjoyed by the whole family. The flavors are generally mild and well-balanced, appealing to a wide range of palates. Plus, leftovers can be reheated and enjoyed for another meal, making it a practical and convenient recipe.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Bone-in skin-on chicken pieces. I personally like using a mix of chicken drumsticks and chicken thighs. Use what you have! Just keep in mind that if you use chicken breasts, you will have to adjust the cooking time.

• Mojo marinade. A citrus marinade made with sour oranges (or sour orange juice), lots of garlic, spices, and olive oil.

• Olive oil. To brown the chicken.

• Yellow onion, green bell pepper, garlic. Sofrito! This is the base of most Cuban dishes.

• Tomato sauce. Adds a rich and tangy flavor to the dish and, it balances the savory components of the recipe too!

• Vino seco. If you don’t have dry cooking wine, you can use white wine or chicken broth.

• Water.

• Spanish Manzanilla olives. The saltiness of the olives also adds depth to the sauce and complements the other ingredients.

• Capers. The slightly briny flavor adds a refreshing and bright element to the dish.

• Ground cumin, dried oregano, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Spices!

• Russet potatoes. No carrots, red peppers, or other veggies.

• Finely chopped parsley for garnish.

After making this recipe, you should make my Carne Con Papas recipe!

Step-By-Step Instructions

• Marinate the chicken. In a bowl, add the chicken with the mojo marinade. Place in the fridge and marinate for 1-2 hours.

• Season the chicken. Remove the chicken from the marinade, pat dry, and season with salt and pepper.

• Brown the chicken. In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat oil at medium-high heat. Brown the chicken on all sides, in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Transfer to a plate. Set aside.

• Make the sofrito. Add the onions and green peppers and saute for 5 minutes or until tender. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.

• Start the fricassee. Add the tomato sauce, cooking wine, water, olives, capers, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Gently stir to combine and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes then reduce heat to medium-low. Add the chicken back in along with the potatoes. Simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, covered with a lid.

• Check the water level. At the 30 minute mark, check to see if the stew is drying out. If yes, gently stir in 1/4 cup of water or more as needed.

• Add the potatoes. Continue to cook, covered with a lid, until the chicken and potatoes are fork-tender and most of the water has reduced. Serve with white rice. Enjoy!

Recipe Tips & Tricks

• Browning the Chicken. This step not only enhances the flavor of this chicken and vegetable stew but also helps develop a rich and caramelized base for the sauce. Brown the chicken in batches over medium-high heat, ensuring that each piece gets a golden-brown crust.

• Marinating the Chicken. Make sure you marinate the chicken with the mojo marinade – don’t skip this step. It helps tenderize the meat and infuses it with additional flavors.

• Slow and steady cooking wins. Allow the fricase de pollo to simmer over low heat for a significant amount of time. This slow cooking process allows the flavors to meld together, resulting in a more delicious and tender chicken stew.

• Serving Suggestions. Fricase de pollo is often served with white rice, but you can also pair it with other traditional Cuban side dishes such as black beans, plantains, or yuca.

Storage Tips

• You can store leftovers of the fricassee in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge or for up to 1 month in the freezer. I’ll be honest the leftovers taste better the next day!