Puerto Rican Braised Chicken with Pumpkin and Olives

Name: Puerto Rican Braised Chicken with Pumpkin and Olives
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Puertorriqueña
Ingredients: 2 lb Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs; 2 tbsp Olive oil; 1 cup Yellow onion; 1 cup Green bell pepper; 4 cloves Garlic; 0.5 cup Fresh cilantro; 2 tbsp Tomato paste; 1 tsp Dried oregano; 0.5 tsp Ground cumin; 1 tsp Sweet paprika; 1 leaf Bay leaf; 2 cups Chicken broth; 12 oz Pumpkin; 0.33 cup Green olives stuffed with pimento; 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar; 1 tsp Salt; 0.5 tsp Black pepper

An original Puerto Rican-style stew with browned chicken, tender pumpkin, olives, and an aromatic sofrito. It simmers gently until rich and flavorful, perfect with white rice, tostones, or avocado.

20 minPrep

45 minCook

65 minTotal

4Servings

Dairy-FreeGluten-FreeHigh Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

900 g Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (secados with papel)
30 ml Olive oil
150 g Yellow onion (chopped diced small)
120 g Green bell pepper (chopped)
12 g Garlic (chopped fino)
15 g Fresh cilantro (chopped)
30 g Tomato paste
2 g Dried oregano
1 g Ground cumin
2 g Sweet paprika
1 unit Bay leaf
480 ml Chicken broth
350 g Pumpkin (pelada and cut diced medium)
60 g Green olives stuffed with pimento (en mitades)
15 ml Apple cider vinegar
6 g Salt (or to taste)
2 g Black pepper (freshly ground)

Nutrition facts

per serving

430 kcal

Calories

31 g

Protein

13 g

Carbs

28 g

Fat

3 g

Fiber

10 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

No declared allergens

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C. Season the chicken thighs with the salt, black pepper, dried oregano, ground cumin, and sweet paprika.
2
Heat the olive oil in a wide oven-safe pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken skin-side down for 5 to 6 minutes, then 2 minutes on the other side. Remove and set aside.
3
In the same pot, reduce to medium heat and add the onion, green bell pepper, and garlic. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring, until softened.
4
Add the fresh cilantro and tomato paste. Cook 1 minute more to build an aromatic base.
5
Pour in the chicken broth, bay leaf, and apple cider vinegar, scraping the bottom of the pot to release the browned bits.
6
Return the chicken to the pot skin-side up. Add the pumpkin and olives around the chicken so they are partially submerged in the liquid.
7
Once it reaches a gentle simmer, cover the pot and transfer it to the oven. Cook for 25 minutes at 400°F / 200°C.
8
Uncover and cook 8 to 10 minutes more at 400°F / 200°C, until the sauce thickens slightly, the pumpkin is tender, and the chicken is fully cooked.
9
Remove the bay leaf, taste the sauce, and adjust with more salt or black pepper if needed. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
10
Serve the chicken with the pumpkin and spoon the sauce over the top, making sure each portion gets some olives and sofrito.

Chef tips

For a thicker sauce, mash a few pumpkin cubes into the pot at the end. If you want deeper flavor and color, leave the chicken uncovered for the final minutes to further crisp the skin.

Substitutions

You can use boneless chicken thighs, but reduce the cooking time slightly. If pumpkin is unavailable, use cubed sweet potato. Culantro can replace part of the cilantro for a more traditional flavor profile.

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
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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Illustrative image
Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8" Chef’s Knife
Chopping, slicing and cutting strips
- The knife I use most when cooking
- Chops, slices and cuts into strips
- Keep it sharp and hand-dry it
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