Cuban chicken fricassee (Fricase de Pollo) blends together traditional Latin spices, flavorful chicken, olives and potatoes for a classic one pot meal. Enjoyed in homes throughout Cuba for generations, it's very easy to prepare.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Full of flavor, this Cuban chicken fricassee (Cuban Fricase de Pollo) is perfect for busy weeknight cooking or a special weekend dinner with friends. This traditional Cuban chicken stew is super easy to start on the stove-top or Crock-pot since it's one of those fix and forget one-pot meals!
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Ingredients
Use whatever cuts of chicken you prefer, but Cuban chicken fricassee (Fricase de Pollo) is typically made with drumsticks and thighs.
- Chicken Legs & Thighs - You can also go with all boneless thighs.
- Mojo Marinade - I used Iberia brand, but you can use any brand of Mojo sauce or marinade.
- Olive oil - to saute with.
- Yellow onion - diced.
- Green Bell Pepper - diced.
- Garlic - fresh garlic cloves, minced.
- Tomato sauce - canned or fresh.
- Chicken Stock - any brand.
- Potatoes - Russets, cut into large cubes.
- Dry White Wine - any brand, just dry.
- Bay Leaves - whole.
- Spanish Manzanilla Olives - stuffed with pimento.
- Capers - Trader Joe's has large capers.
- Cumin - ground.
- Oregano - ground, or fresh if available.
- Salt
- Pepper
What is Sour Orange?
Cuban cooking uses Seville oranges, also known as bitter or sour oranges, as a key ingredient in Cuban mojo, or marinades. Marinating meats in sour orange marinade imbues the meat with flavor and tenderizes at the same time.
You can make a sour orange marinade, but sour oranges are rarely available in the US. To remedy that, you can purchase a bottle of Mojo marinade, which has the sour orange already in it!
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Cuban Chicken Fricassee
Not only does Cuban chicken fricassee taste delectable but it couldn't be simpler to prepare. Whether you’re a novice or experienced home cook, we promise you’ll love every single bite!
Brown The Chicken
- The night before, add the chicken pieces to a zipper bag or bowl. Pour in the sour orange Cuban mojo with the chicken and seal. Refrigerate at least a hour, overnight if you can.
- Remove chicken from the bag of Cuban mojo, pat dry with paper towels, and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven on medium high. Brown the chicken on all sides.
- Remove the chicken when browned to a separate bowl. Save for later.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Saute the Onions and Aromatics
- Add the onions, green bell peppers, and garlic to the Dutch oven. Saute until fragrant.
- Add the olives, capers, bay leaves, oregano, and ground cumin. Stir on medium high for 1 minute.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Add Remaining Ingredients
- Add the tomato sauce, dry wine, chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Taste to adjust broth seasoning. Add the chicken and cubed potatoes to the cook pot.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Simmer or Slow Cook
- Bring pot to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 45 minutes in the Dutch oven, or 3 hours in a slow cooker on high (5 hours on low). Cook until chicken and potatoes are fork tender.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Serving Suggestions
This savory combination of chicken, potatoes, and bell peppers in seasoned broth makes a delicious one-pot meal. Serve with a loaf of Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread, Spicy Cajun Cornbread, or our homemade Whole Wheat Tortillas.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Substitutions and Variations
You can easily substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or chicken breast for the thighs and drumsticks in this recipe. If you are on a Keto plan, try using cubed celery root in place of the Russet potatoes. You will NEVER tell the difference, since it cooks up with a similar texture!
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making Cuban Chicken Fricassee (Fricase de Pollo).
- 6 quart Dutch Oven
- Mojo marinade - if you can't find it in the grocery store (usually where Hispanic foods are located), than Amazon has it!
Storage
Store any leftovers in covered tubs in your refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also use freezer safe containers and free when cool, for up to 3 months.
Tips for Success
- For lower fat, remove the skin from the chicken.
- Marinate the chicken in the Cuban mojo the night before for amazing flavor.
- You can use a slow cooker after you saute the vegetables and brown the chicken. Set on Low for 8 hours, or High for 4 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fricassee is a dish where poultry or meat has been cut into pieces and stewed in a gravy or sauce.
In a stew, all the ingredients, including the meat, are boiled together. In a fricassee, the meat is browned or seared first, then added back later to the simmering pot of vegetables and sauce to slow cook until fully tender.
Use a blend of 2 parts grapefruit juice, 1 part lime juice, 2 parts orange juice. Mix with 2 parts vinegar, 2 crushed cloves of garlic, a bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt, some fresh ground black pepper. Add the meat and refrigerate.
Food Safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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📖 Recipe
Cuban Chicken Fricassee (Fricase de Pollo)
Ingredients
- 4 lbs Chicken Thighs and drumsticks (or 2.5 lbs boneless thighs)
- 1¼ cup Mojo Marinade
- ¼ cup Olive oil divided - ½ to brown chicken, ½ to saute onion
- 1 Onion diced
- 1 large Green Bell Pepper diced
- 6 cloves Garlic minced
- 6 oz Manzanilla olives whole, with pimento in centers
- 3 tablespoon Capers
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon Oregano fresh or dry
- ½ teaspoon Cumin ground
- 8 oz Tomato sauce
- 8 oz Dry wine
- 2 cup Chicken stock
- 3 Potatoes Cubed Russet potatoes
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper fresh ground
Homemade Cuban Mojo Marinade
- ⅓ grapefruit juice
- ⅓ orange juice
- ⅓ lime juice
- ⅓ white wine vinear
- 2 cloves garlic crushed or minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper fresh ground
- ¼ teaspoon cumin ground
Instructions
- The night before, add the chicken pieces to a zipper bag or bowl. Pour in the sour orange Cuban mojo with the chicken and seal. Refrigerate at least a hour, overnight if you can.4 lbs Chicken, 1¼ cup Mojo Marinade
- Remove chicken from the bag of Cuban mojo, pat dry with paper towels, and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the ½ the olive oil in a Dutch oven on medium high. Brown the chicken on all sides.¼ cup Olive oil
- Remove the chicken when browned to a separate bowl. Save for later.
- Add the onions, green bell peppers, and garlic to the Dutch oven. Saute until fragrant.1 Onion, 1 large Green Bell Pepper, 6 cloves Garlic
- Add the olives, capers, bay leaves, oregano, and ground cumin. Stir on medium high for 1 minute.6 oz Manzanilla olives, 3 tablespoon Capers, ½ teaspoon Cumin, 2 Bay leaves, 1 teaspoon Oregano
- Add the tomato sauce, dry wine, chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Taste to adjust broth seasoning. Add the chicken and cubed potatoes to the cook pot.8 oz Tomato sauce, 8 oz Dry wine, 2 cup Chicken stock, 3 Potatoes, 1 teaspoon Sea Salt, ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Bring pot to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 45 minutes in the Dutch oven, or 3 hours in a slow cooker on high (5 hours on low). Cook until chicken and potatoes are fork tender.
For the Homemade Mojo Marinade
- Mix all the mojo ingredients in a mason jar and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. You can also freeze it for later.
Notes
- For lower fat, remove the skin from the chicken.
- Marinate the chicken in the Cuban mojo the night before for amazing flavor.
- You can use a slow cooker after you saute the vegetables and brown the chicken. Set on Low for 8 hours, or High for 4 hours.
Nutrition
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