Pollo en Fricasé
- Total Time
- 1½ hours
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:6 servings
- 2 to 3pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, skins removed
- 1(8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 10garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- ¼cup white wine vinegar
- 2tablespoons olive oil
- 2teaspoons sweet paprika
- ½teaspoon ground cumin
- 3dried bay leaves
- 1½tablespoons kosher salt
- ¼teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1cup dry white wine
- ¼cup pimento-stuffed olives
- 1tablespoon capers, drained
- 1pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced into ½-inch rounds
- Cooked white rice, for serving
- Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
618 calories; 37 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 17 grams monounsaturated fat; 7 grams polyunsaturated fat; 29 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 35 grams protein; 970 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Pat chicken dry, then place in a lidded, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven.
- Step 2
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.
- Step 3
Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Step 4
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.
- Step 5
Serve over white rice with plenty of sauce, and garnish with cilantro.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Charlie Wood
You can still go alcohol free and cook with wine. The heat from cooking evaporates the alcohol, usually within minutes, leaving only the richness. If you’ve ever seen a too chef sauté and the pan is in flames, that’s because wine was added at very high heat. The flames are the alcohol burning off, dramatically! Wine adds a particular flavor (sugars, fermented grape, etc) to cooking that is difficult to replicate, especially when slow cooking like this recipe. Feel free to safely cook with wine!
Matt C
This dish is delicious and very low maintenance. Didn't want to use wine as we are going alcohol free. Subbed a cup of water with half a lemon squeezed instead. Came out great, not lemony.
Damaris
This is a Cuban recipe as well. I grew up eating fricase de pollo. Fricasé is a word incorporated from the Haitian population who lived in the the east side of Cuba. As an adult I made several modifications including not using tomate sauce and using carrots instead of potatoes. It is delicious anyway.
Suzy
Charlie's point that the alcohol burns off is true, but that leaves an open bottle of wine to finish off. Stick with your method, which is fine.
Maggie B.
Last week I was craving this dish, which my mother used to make, and I made it for our Sunday dinner. My mom never used wine (or vinegar, i don't think). I used chicken broth. The absence of sofrito in this recipe made me re-read it. And I went the extra mile and made arroz amarillo instead of white rice. It was delicious and took me back to a simpler time.
Damaris
Pimientos from a can or jar can be added at the end. You can also add prunes . It gives you a sweet taste instead pf salty.
The Meshugana Gadfly
Sorry to say that the idea of the alcohol "burning off" during cooking is mostly false. Some does, but some/most usually stays. For an explanation see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooking_with_alcohol#Alcohol_as_cooking_fuel
Anna Barnett
Re wine. If you are taking medication for alcohol addiction,the sulfates in the wine remain after cooking and you will feel sick.
Blork
Cooking does NOT burn off all alcohol. This article from Idaho State University cites a USDA study that shows it takes more than 2.5 hours of cooking to burn off more than 95%. This recipe cooks for about 40 min. after adding wine, so about 30% remains. (In case the link gets stripped out, just Google USDA COOKING ALCOHOL or check Wikipedia's article on cooking with alcohol.) https://www.isu.edu/news/2019-fall/no-worries-the-alcohol-burns-off-during-cookingbut-does-it-really.html
Claudia
No need to add salt; capers and olives provide enough salt to this dish. Otherwise perfect recipe, quick snd tasty.
Variation
In Puerto Rican food? Omitting cumin is just impossible.
Food Sage
Probably a tad of oregano and bay leaf would sub in well, just don’t overdo the bay leaf - it can be bitter...
Variation
Lemon or lime juice, or a bit of sumac instead of vinegar. I find vinegar literally sickening.
em
I have been sober for 8 years and cook with wine often. I get small boxes of wine, usually bandit brand, use what I need for the recipe the put the rest in the freezer! It’s easy to leave on the counter for a few min and use in the next recipe. Always have a red and white on hand and they keep for a long time
Ricka Gerstmann
Excellent flavors. I used whole chicken legs since that is what I had in the freezer. I also added more olives and capers. Simple to put together, and all it takes is time.
Joseph
To those saying that the alcohol cooks off, unfortunately that's not entirely true. While alcohol is very volatile, significant amounts can still remain. A dish cooked at the boiling point of alcohol (173 Degrees Fahrenheit) will still have roughly 30% of the alcohol remaining after 45 minutes.
Z
Cooking time is far too long and leaves chicken dry. Consider salting meat overnight beforehand and/or shorten overall cooking time.
savvy
Those looking to go alcohol free could alternatively use white cooking wine - the cooking removes the alcohol of wine regardless but you would not be left with a half bottle of wine, and no need to go to the wine shop/liquor store. Keep in mind it is salty (which makes it incompatible with drinking).
dimmerswitch
Made this per recipe after it had been parked for a long while in my box and found we enjoyed it so much more than expected. (Why it stayed 'parked'.) Only cook's note I'd offer is be mindful of the salt. That is where I did not follow the recipe and used substantially less. Like maybe 1 tsp (Diamond Crystal) v the 1 1/2 tbsp specified. Keep in mind capers and olives are both going to add salt to the dish. Good reheated too if you're gentle with the potatoes.
Phil
OMG, cut the salt at least in half. Olives and capers also add saltiness. Good recipe after thinning to reduce saltiness.
Brad
I have done several renditions of this dish. They all turned out deliciously! Beer or wine are equally good. I use several veggies instead of potatoes. Last night I used butternut squash, cabbage and cauliflower. served with cauliflower rice. I am thinking about making it with pork shoulder chunks instead of chicken.
Chris
Great dish. Used boneless/skinless thighs. Vermouth instead of white wine. Added carrots. Will make again.
Marie
Next time I would brown the meat and deglaze with wine/vinegar for some more flavour. Prob leave the skin on for this part. Otherwise nice and quite easy for a weeknight
Tim
Fantastic. I followed it to the letter but made a beginner's mistake of using regular salt instead of kosher salt, didn't realize until too late so I had to throw the sauce away, wash the chicken and start again. I also didn't realize that tomato sauce is not the same as the tomato paste I bought in the supermarke. So I just used watered-down paste. It still came out great.
Diana
Agree with Food Sage. I have my original copy of Nitza Villapol's Cocina Criolla, with yellow pages and very dog-eared, from the 1950's. Those that claim it was "originally" published later are incorrect. Still have my father's handwritten dedication in the book. Cuba has already lost so much, do not continue to rob it.
Valerie
My Puerto Rican husband said the house smelled like his mom was cooking. To make it more like my MIL I added 6 leaves of recao (culantro), increased the cumin to a heaping teaspoon, and added a scant tsp of dried Mexican oregano.
Jessica
Used boneless, skinless thighs, 3.25lbs. Reduced salt to 1 TBS. Cut potatoes into half moons. Served with brown rice (out of white) but wasn't a fan. Crusty bread or polenta next time! Will make again and perhaps add some spinach and more olives.
Susie
Have made this easy, delicious dish a couple of times. Removing the skin results in a tasty non-fatty sauce. With capers and olives included in this recipe, adding only 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt to the sauce is enough for my taste. Doubled the cumin and ground pepper. Might want to cut the potato rounds in half so they cook more quickly. In Step 4, keep covered for only 20 minutes or so, and then uncover so that the extra liquid boils off as the cooking completes. A keeper.
Peter
I wouldn't say the alcohol necessarily evaporates in "minutes". Served cheese fondue to our family once - about 10-15 min for wine to evaporate while the cheese melts. Then tested the kids with a breathalyzer (long story). Kids were 0.02 and 0.03. Surprised me.
Erin
Made this recipe as is - was delicious! My Puerto Rican husband loved it.
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