Chicken Fricase with Tomatoes, Potatoes and Carrots
- Makes4 to 6 servings
- Cook Time1¼ hours
- Active time plus cooling30 minutes active
- 1
It may have a French-sounding name, but this homey, hearty, tomato-forward chicken braise, made with sofrito as its base and with golden rum as part of the cooking liquid, is Caribbean in essence and flavor. We adapted San Juan chef Jose Santaella’s recipe from his book “Cocina Tropical.” Instead of a whole cut-up chicken, we use only bone-in thighs, as we find that dark meat stands up better to braising than more delicate breast meat. We also simmer the potatoes and carrots for about 10 minutes with water as the only liquid; this gives the vegetables a head start on cooking before the tomatoes and wine are introduced. If added raw to an acidic liquid, the vegetables require extended cooking to fully tenderize. You will need 1 cup of sofrito for this recipe, so be sure to cook up a batch in advance. Serve the fricase with rice and, if you’re so inclined, with fried sweet plantains.
Don’t use a Dutch oven made of “reactive” metal because the braising liquid is quite acidic. It’s best to use a nonreactive pot, such as stainless steel or enamel-coated cast iron, so the metal does not react to the acidity and cause “off” flavors. After returning the browned chicken to the Dutch oven, cover the pot only partially. A little evaporation is desirable so the braise isn't too watery.
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