Description
This Puerto Rican Chicken Stew is a hearty, flavorful dish featuring tender bone-in chicken simmered with traditional sofrito, aromatic spices, and tender vegetables like carrots and potatoes. Its vibrant blend of seasonings and slow simmering process results in a rich, comforting stew perfect for serving over fluffy white rice. The recipe highlights classic Puerto Rican flavors with a convenient one-pot cooking method.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Marinade
- 4–5 pounds bone-in chicken legs and thighs, skin removed (optional), trimmed of excess fat
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon adobo seasoning
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Stew Base
- 1 white onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, deseeded and diced
- ¼ cup sofrito, homemade or store-bought
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon sazón seasoning
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, or regular oregano
- 1 teaspoon powdered chicken bouillon, optional
- 2 bay leaves
Vegetables & Additions
- 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1½ pounds yellow potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 cup Spanish olives, optional
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for browning)
Instructions
- Marinate Chicken: In a large bowl, combine chicken with lime juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, adobo seasoning, cumin, and onion powder. Toss to coat evenly, cover, and let marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate if preparing in advance.
- Sear Chicken: Heat a heavy-bottom pot or dutch oven over medium heat and add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. In batches, sear chicken pieces for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown. Avoid crowding to ensure searing instead of steaming. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same pot, cook diced onion and bell pepper over medium heat until softened and lightly golden, about 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add Sofrito and Garlic: Stir in sofrito and minced garlic, cooking for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
- Incorporate Spices: Mix in sazón, tomato paste, oregano, and optional chicken bouillon; cook for about 1 minute until aromatic and tomato paste darkens slightly.
- Add Chicken and Simmer: Nestle browned chicken pieces into the pot on top of the sofrito mixture. Add bay leaves and pour in enough water (4-6 cups) to just cover the chicken. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Simmer Chicken: Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 20 minutes to infuse flavors and partially cook the chicken.
- Add Vegetables: Stir in carrots, potatoes, and olives if using. Cover again and simmer for 20-30 minutes until vegetables are tender and chicken is nearly falling off the bone.
- Reduce Stew: Uncover and simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes to reduce and thicken the stew to desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lime for brightness.
- Serve: Serve hot over fluffy white rice, optionally garnished with fresh chopped cilantro for a bright herbal note.
Notes
- Removing the chicken skin reduces fat content but can be omitted based on preference.
- Sofrito is a key flavor base in Puerto Rican cooking; if unavailable, a homemade mix of sautéed onions, peppers, garlic, and herbs can be used.
- Searing chicken before simmering helps to lock in flavor and develop a richer stew.
- Adjust the amount of water depending on your preferred stew thickness.
- Optional chicken bouillon enhances flavor but can be left out for a lighter dish.
- This stew pairs excellently with white rice or other starchy sides to soak up the sauce.
Keywords: Puerto Rican chicken stew, chicken stew recipe, sofrito chicken stew, Caribbean chicken stew, bone-in chicken stew