Description
This authentic Puerto Rican Chicken Stew is a hearty, flavorful dish featuring tender bone-in chicken slow-simmered with aromatic sofrito, vegetables, and traditional seasonings. The rich, comforting stew is perfect served over fluffy white rice, delivering vibrant Caribbean flavors in every bite.
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 & Extras
- 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 chicken)
Instructions
- Marinate the 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 the 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 and Tomato: Mix in sazón, tomato paste, oregano, and optional chicken bouillon; cook for about 1 minute until aromatic and tomato paste darkens slightly.
- Simmer Chicken: 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.
- Partial Simmer: 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 and Finish: 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 chicken skin is optional but recommended for a leaner dish.
- Adjust water quantity as needed to maintain stew consistency; aim for a thick but saucy texture.
- For homemade sofrito, blend green peppers, onions, garlic, cilantro, and culantro for an authentic flavor.
- Use bone-in chicken for more flavor and tender meat.
- Serve with white rice to complement the rich stew.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheat beautifully.
Keywords: Puerto Rican chicken stew, sofrito chicken stew, Caribbean chicken recipe, bone-in chicken stew, traditional Puerto Rican dish