Bowl of Chicken with Potatoes Stew
(click to enlarge)

Chicken with Potatoes Stew


Puerto Rico   -   Fricase de Pollo con Papas y Zanahorias
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 5 w/rice
***
2 hrs
Yes		 A delicious stew of Chicken, Potatoes & Carrots. It can be made with joints, or with skinless, boneless meat. This recipe can be made ahead and reheats well. See also Comments.




1-1/2
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2/3
1/3
2
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1/3
1-1/4
7
1-1/2
2/3
1-1/2
3
1/3
2/3
1-1/2
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ar
#
---
t
t
t
---
c
#
oz
T
c
c

c
c
c
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Chicken Meat (2)  
-- Seasoning
Salt
Pepper, black
Oregano
--------
Olives, grn (3)
Potatoes (4)
Carrots
Olive Oil
Sofrito (1)
Tomato Sauce (5)
Bay Leaves
Golden Rum
Wine, red
Water
-- Serve With
Steamed Rice (6)  
Do Ahead   -   (50 min, including making Alcaparrado for the Sofrito)
  1. Prepare Sofrito if not already on hand (see Note-1).
Prep   -   (35 min)
  1. Cut CHICKEN into about 1-1/2 inch chunks (or see Note-2).
  2. Mix Seasoning items and tumble with Chicken until evenly coated. Set aside
  3. Peel POTATOES and cut into about 3/4 inch cubes. Hold in cold water until needed.
  4. Peel CARROTS and cut into 3/8 inch disks.
  5. Pit OLIVES if needed.
Run   -   (1-1/4 hr)
  1. Heat 1-1/2 T Oil in a heavy bottomed pan (3-1/2 qt). Stir in Sofrito, Olives and Chicken. Fry stirring often until Chicken has completely lost its raw color.
  2. Stir in Tomato Sauce, Bay Leaves, Rum, Wine and 1-1/2 cups Water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 20 minutes.
  3. Drain Potatoes and stir in along with Carrots. Bring back to a boil and simmer covered another 25 minutes or until Chicken and Potatoes are tender.
  4. Uncover and check liquid and seasoning. Adjust as needed.
  5. Serve with steamed Medium Grain Rice.
NOTES:

  1. Sofrito:

      This is an indispensable flavor base for Puerto Rican cooking. See our recipe Sofrito - (Formal).

  2. Chicken:

      Weight is skinless, boneless thigh meat (best for buffet service). I use the bones and skins to make the stock, so no flavor is lost. Up the weight to 1-1/2 pounds for joints with bones. The pattern recipe asked for 1-1/2 pounds Thighs cut in half. For the photo example, I had a bunch of Chicken Wing Joints in my freezer compartment, so I used 1-1/2 pounds of those. If you do use whole thighs, a razor sharp Chinese Cleaver Knife driven by a Soft Faced Mallet is perfect for cutting them in half.

  3. Olives:

      These should be Green Spanish Manzanilla Olives. Measure is before pitting if they have pits. The pattern recipe allows them to be put in without removing pits, but I don't want my guests breaking teeth.

  4. Potatoes:

      White Rose or similar work well in recipes of this sort. Avoid Klondike Gold type potatoes - they quickly turn to mush with long cooking or reheating. For details see our Potatoes page.

  5. Tomato Sauce:

      The pattern recipe called for both Tomato Sauce and a lot of Tomato Paste. I prefer to use all Tomato Sauce. My favorite is Faraon Spanish Style, which comes in convenient 8 ounce cans, but other simple sauces will also work.

  6. Rice:

      Medium grain California rice is the dominant type used in the Caribbean. Kohada Rose is the best. Like so many food writers, I'll usually use Thai Jasmine anyway.

  7. Comments

      This recipe is much more convenient for a household that does a lot of Puerto Rican cooking, because the Sofrito, or at least the major ingredients for making it, will be on hand as a matter of kitchen routine. Our recipe for Sofrito - (Formal) makes enough for several dishes.
  8. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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