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Meat, Americas

Cuban style chicken fricassee with rice

Cuban style chicken fricassee is a stew of chicken thighs simmered with potatoes, bell peppers, green olives and a white wine tomato sauce, served over rice. It serves 4, takes 60 minutes, is rated easy, and costs €2.90 per serving. The key is browning the chicken well before it simmers, which builds a deeply flavorful sauce.

Chicken simmered Cuban style with potatoes, olives and peppers in a white wine tomato sauce. Comfort food straight from the pot.

Cuban style chicken fricassee with rice
Total time
1 h
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.90
Calories per person
570 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Spring, Fall, Winter
The kids
They generally like it

This fricassee pairs tender braised chicken with the tang of tomato and the salty bite of green olives. The potatoes cook right in the sauce and naturally thicken it as they soften, no flour or cream needed. Lime and cumin give the dish that warm, unmistakable Cuban flavor without any real heat.

It is the kind of dish you start on a lazy Sunday, letting the pot simmer while you take care of other things. Kids generally love the tender chicken and the rice that soaks up the sauce, you can just set their olives aside if needed. Mon Chou suggests it as a nice change from the usual braised dinners, a little trip to the plate.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Chicken thighs 8

Fruits and vegetables

  • Potatoes 600 g
  • Green bell pepper 1
  • Red bell pepper 1
  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 4 cloves
  • Lime 1

Pantry

  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Dry white wineoften in the pantry 15 cl
  • Green olives 60 g
  • Cuminoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Oreganooften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

The step by step recipe

  1. Rub the chicken with lime juice, crushed garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. 15 min

    Fifteen minutes is enough.

  2. Brown the chicken in an oiled pot, then set it aside. 10 min

    Let the skin get really golden before flipping.

  3. Cook the onion and bell peppers in the pot, then add the tomatoes, white wine and oregano. 10 min

    Scrape up the browned bits with the wine.

  4. Return the chicken to the pot, add the peeled potatoes in large chunks, cover and let it simmer. 30 min

    The potatoes thicken the sauce as they cook.

  5. Add the olives, cook the rice in salted water, then drain it. Serve the stew over the rice. 11 min

    Taste the sauce before adding the olives, they're already salty.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick bone in, skin on chicken thighs, the skin protects the meat during cooking and adds flavor to the sauce once browned.
  • Cut the potatoes into even, not too small pieces, they hold their shape better and won't turn the sauce mushy.
  • If the sauce looks too thin at the end, let it simmer uncovered for a few more minutes so it reduces.

The variations

  • Swap the chicken thighs for boneless thighs for a faster cook time and easier eating for kids.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with chickpeas and chunks of zucchini, cutting the simmering time down to 20 minutes.
  • To save time, dice the potatoes small and use quick cooking rice, you can have dinner ready in 40 minutes.

What to serve it with

  • White rice, already part of the recipe
  • Fried plantains
  • Lime wedges at the table

Storage

This fricassee keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. You can freeze it without the rice for up to 2 months. Reheat gently in a saucepan, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Questions about this dish

Can you make this fricassee ahead of time?

Yes, it actually tastes even better the next day. Make the stew a day ahead, let it cool, then reheat it gently and cook the rice fresh right before serving.

Can you replace the white wine?

You can swap it for chicken broth with a splash of lime juice to keep some brightness. The flavor will be slightly less complex but the sauce will still taste great.

Do you really need to marinate the chicken first?

The 15 minute lime and garlic marinade isn't mandatory, but it really boosts the flavor. If you're short on time, cook the chicken right away and add the cumin to the sauce instead.

Can you use different olives instead of green ones?

Black olives work too, giving a milder, less salty flavor. Just avoid strongly marinated pitted olives, they can overpower the tomato sauce.

How long does it take to make a Cuban style chicken fricassee with rice?

Count 1 h in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a Cuban style chicken fricassee with rice?

About 570 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Cuban style chicken fricassee with rice cost?

About €2.90 per serving, or €11.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains none of the major allergens tracked by Mon Chou. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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