Cuban Chicken Fricassee (Fricase de Pollo)

Cuban Chicken Fricassee (or fricase de pollo) is one of my favorite Cuban recipes! It’s dark meat chicken, and potatoes, simmered in a flavorful tomato based sauce.

Growing up in a Cuban household (both of my parents were born in Cuba), I grew up eating Cuban Chicken Fricassee and I love being able to share it with my kids now too. Fun fact: my son is the world’s pickiest eater, and he eats this dish! I think it’s because the chicken is slow simmered and so tender (he normally hates meat) and the potatoes also soak up the flavor from the sauce making it a winner with the whole family!

How to make Cuban Chicken Fricassee:

• Making this dish starts with marinating the chicken. This is a crucial step in this dish as you want the chicken to have plenty of flavor! I use a store-bought mojo to save on time for this recipe. (You can find it in the international aisle)

• Next you’ll brown the chicken in small batches so you don’t crowd them in the pan. You are not cooking the chicken all the way through in this step but just getting a nice brown color on the outside.

• After browning the chicken, you’ll want to sauté the veggies. You can start to see how the flavor is just building in this dish with each step! Your kitchen will already be starting to smell AMAZING!

• After the sautéing the veggies, you’ll add in the white wine and scrape up all those flavor bits from the bottom of the pan.

• Then the tomato sauce, seasonings, and chicken go back in the pan to simmer and finalize cooking the chicken.

• The potatoes go in closer midway through the cooking time so they don’t turn to mush and the peas go in at the very end right before serving.

(See full recipe below)

Can you make chicken fricassee in the slow cooker?

Sorry to say…but no. You will find some recipes for chicken fricassee made in the slow cooker, however the chicken becomes way too mushy and dry. The best way to make this dish is by building the flavors on the stove. I typically try to give you the easiest and fastest way to make a dish but you won’t regret taking the time to make this cuban chicken fricassee . It’s still not difficult or time consuming but It does take a little time spent at the stove.

What to serve with Cuban Chicken Fricassee?

We like to serve our chicken fricassee over white rice for a hearty meal. You could also serve this with some toasted cuban bread…my personal favorite for dipping in the sauce!

Print Recipe

4.91 from 20 votes

Cuban Chicken Fricassee (Fricase de Pollo)

Cook Time1 hr

Course: dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Cuban

Servings: 6 people

Author: Coco and Ash

Ingredients

• 8-10 chicken thighs (Bone-in, skinless) *See notes below
• 2 cups mojo marinade (store bought is fine)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt (divided)
• 1 medium yellow onion (diced)
• 1 green bell pepper (diced)
• 4 garlic cloves (minced)
• 3/4 cup dry white cooking wine
• 1 16 ounce can of tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano


• 1/4 cup pimiento filled olives
• 2 packets sazon goya
• 2 small russet potatoes (Peeled and diced into 1" pieces)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 cup peas
• 1/4 cup water

Instructions

• Marinade chicken pieces in mojo overnight or at least 4 hours. (I cut the chicken breasts into 2 or 3 large pieces so they are easier to work with)
• Once marinated, remove chicken from marinade and pat dry. **See notes below
• Sprinkle the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
• Heat the olive oil in a large pot, over high heat.
• Brown the chicken in batches (about 2 minutes per side) then remove from pan and set aside. 
• Add the onions and green pepper to the pan and saute until translucent. Then add in the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. 
• Add the wine to the pan and simmer with the veggies for 5 minutes.
• Add the tomato sauce, water, cumin, sazon, olives, salt, pepper and chicken back into the pot.
• Simmer (covered) for 20 minutes, add potatoes, then simmer for another 25 minutes.
• Add the peas right before serving.

Notes

*I use chicken thighs in this recipe because they are so tender but I also threw in a couple chicken breasts (cut in half). You can always add whatever combination of chicken meat you'd like...just know white meat will not be as moist as the dark meat) 

**Make sure to pat the chicken DRY before adding it to the oil. If you put them in wet, they will splatter like crazy and they will steam instead of browning.