Recipe from Carmen Valldejuli
Adapted by Von Diaz
YIELD:6 servings
TIME: 1 1/2 hours
Christopher Simpson for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.
Print this recipe: Pollo en Fricasé Recipe – NYT Cooking
The ultimate comfort food, this dish bears the mark of Spanish and French colonial influence, but takes a decidedly Puerto Rican approach. Bone-in chicken thighs are braised to perfection in a rich, oniony, tomato-based sauce with a lot of garlic, balanced with white wine and vinegar, and punctuated by briny olives and capers. Potatoes are added toward the end, for a satisfying meal. Like so many Puerto Rican dishes, this one is highly adaptable. Some brown the chicken first, adding sofrito and other aromatics later. Folks often add carrots, or use beer or red wine instead of white. My take is pared down and incredibly simple, making it an easy weeknight meal that can be prepared while you’re getting your house in order after work. This recipe is adapted from “Cocina Criolla,” which has remained the island’s best-known and most popular cookbook for more than 60 years. —Von Diaz
Featured in: Von Diaz’s Essential Puerto Rican Recipes.
INGREDIENTS
2 to 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, skins removed
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
10 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
¼ cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
½ teaspoon ground cumin
3 dried bay leaves
1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt
¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 cup dry white wine
¼ cup pimento-stuffed olives
1 tablespoon capers, drained
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
Cooked white rice, for serving
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
PREPARATION
- Pat chicken dry, then place in a lidded, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven.
- In a medium bowl, combine tomato sauce, onion, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, paprika, cumin, bay leaves, salt and pepper; whisk together with a fork. Pour sauce over chicken.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Pour in white wine, then add olives, capers and potato slices, stirring well to incorporate. Bring back to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until potatoes are tender but not falling apart. If your sauce is thinner than you’d like, transfer chicken and potatoes to a serving bowl, then simmer sauce for 5 to 7 more minutes over medium-high until thickened.
- Serve over white rice with plenty of sauce, and garnish with cilantro.