Cuban Chicken Thigh Fricassee with Sour Orange, Potatoes, and Olives over Garlic Rice

Name: Cuban Chicken Thigh Fricassee with Sour Orange, Potatoes, and Olives over Garlic Rice
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Cubana
Ingredients: 2 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs; 1 1/2 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp ground cumin; 8 cloves garlic; 1/2 cup sour orange juice; 1/2 cup dry white wine; 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 1/4 cups white onion; 1 cup green bell pepper; 1 cup tomato puree; 1 bay leaf; 1/2 cup green olives; 1 tbsp capers; 12 oz potatoes; 1 1/2 cups chicken broth; 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice; 2 cups water; 1 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp fresh cilantro

An original homestyle Cuban fricassee made with browned chicken thighs, slowly simmered in a criollo sauce of tomato, dry wine, sour orange, olives, and potatoes, served over garlic-scented white rice.

25 minPrep

55 minCook

80 minTotal

4Servings

Gluten-FreeHigh Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

900 g bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (without exceso of grasa visible)
8 g salt (divided)
2 g black pepper (freshly ground)
2 g dried oregano
2 g ground cumin
24 g garlic (6 cloves chopped for the fricasé and 2 grated for the arroz)
120 ml sour orange juice (or mezcla of orange and lima)
120 ml dry white wine
45 ml vegetable oil (divided)
180 g white onion (en plumas finas)
120 g green bell pepper (in strips)
240 ml tomato puree
1 unit bay leaf
80 g green olives (boneless and partidas por the mitad)
15 g capers (escurridas)
350 g potatoes (peladas and cut en trozos medium)
360 ml chicken broth (low sodium if possible)
300 g long-grain white rice (enjuagado)
480 ml water (for the arroz)
14 g butter
10 g fresh cilantro (chopped for terminar)

Nutrition facts

per serving

690 kcal

Calories

35 g

Protein

52 g

Carbs

34 g

Fat

4 g

Fiber

48 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

DairySulfites

Instructions

1
Season the chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon of salt, black pepper, oregano, cumin, and 6 minced garlic cloves. Add the sour orange juice and dry white wine, mix well, and marinate for 15 minutes in the refrigerator.
2
Heat a wide Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and brown the chicken thighs for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until well colored. Remove the chicken and set aside.
3
In the same pot, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Cook the onion and green bell pepper for 5 minutes, stirring, until they begin to soften. Stir in the tomato puree and cook 2 minutes more.
4
Pour in the reserved marinade, then add the bay leaf, green olives, capers, potatoes, and chicken broth. Mix well and return the chicken thighs and any juices to the pot.
5
Once the liquid reaches a gentle boil, reduce to medium-low heat, cover partially, and cook for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the potatoes are tender and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and 74°C.
6
Meanwhile, make the rice. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the 2 grated garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds without letting them brown. Add the white rice and stir for 1 minute to coat it well.
7
Add the water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the rice. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to very low heat, and cook for 16 to 18 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat and let it rest, covered, for 5 minutes; then fluff with a fork.
8
Taste the fricassee and adjust salt if needed. Remove the bay leaf and sprinkle the fresh cilantro on top.
9
Serve a bed of garlic rice on each plate and spoon the chicken fricassee over it with plenty of sauce, potatoes, olives, and onion.
10
If you want to keep it warm before serving, hold the fricassee covered over very low heat or in a 200°F and 95°C oven for a few minutes.

Chef tips

For a more traditional flavor, marinate the chicken for up to 1 hour. Browning the skin well at the beginning helps build a deeper, richer sauce. If the sauce reduces too much, add a little more hot broth.

Substitutions

You can use boneless chicken thighs, adjusting the cooking time. If you do not have sour orange, use 1/4 cup orange juice plus 1/4 cup lime juice. Cilantro can be replaced with fresh parsley.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Ninja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
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Illustrative image
Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
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Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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