Best Cuban Style Braised Chicken Recipes

CUBAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onion in hot oil until tender, about 5 minutes; add garlic and continue to cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
• Stir tomatoes, chicken, red bell pepper, raisins, olives, red wine vinegar, oregano, cumin, and bay leaves into the onion mixture; cook until heated through, 5 to 7 minutes more. Remove and discard bay leaves before serving.

BAKED CUBAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place chicken pieces in a large bowl. Add onion, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, allspice, onion powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour, or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Heat oil in a large skillet. Add chicken pieces, reserving marinade in the bowl. Pan-fry chicken until browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Pour reserved marinade on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until juices run clear, about 40 minutes.

ONE-PAN CUBAN CHICKEN WITH RICE AND BEANS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large straight-sided ovenproof skillet, brown bacon over medium-high, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Season chicken with 1/4 teaspoon cumin, salt, and pepper. Brown in skillet, turning once, about 10 minutes; transfer to plate.
• Remove fat from skillet. Add oil, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring, until translucent, 3 minutes.
• Add rice, remaining 1/2 teaspoon cumin, and oregano. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add broth, beans, and bacon; season with salt and pepper. Nestle in chicken, skin-side up. Bring to a boil, then cover and transfer to oven. Roast until liquid is absorbed and chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes; serve.

CUBAN STYLE BRAISED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, garlic, orange juice, lime juice, and onion slices in a large ziploc bag.
• Seal bag and shake well.
• Add chicken, seal, shake well, and refrigerate for 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add chicken and brown on all sides, turning frequently. (About 10 minutes total.).
• Reduce heat to medium-low, cover skillet and cook chicken an additional 10 minutes.
• Remove chicken and set aside on a plate.
• Pour marinade with onions into the same skillet and increase the heat to medium.
• When sauce simmers, then return the chicken to the pan along with juices collected on the plate.
• Cover skillet, reduce heat to very low and simmer for 20 minutes.

CUBAN CHICKEN FRICASSEE (FRICASE DE POLLO)

Steps:

• Marinade chicken pieces in mojo overnight or at least 4 hours. (I cut the chicken breasts into 2 or 3 large pieces so they are easier to work with)
• Once marinated, remove chicken from marinade and pat dry. **See notes below
• Sprinkle the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
• Heat the olive oil in a large pot, over high heat.
• Brown the chicken in batches (about 2 minutes per side) then remove from pan and set aside.
• Add the onions and green pepper to the pan and saute until translucent. Then add in the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
• Add the wine to the pan and simmer with the veggies for just about 2 minutes.
• Add the tomato sauce, water, cumin, sazon, olives, salt, pepper and chicken back into the pot.
• Simmer (covered) for 15 minutes, add potatoes, then simmer for another 20 minutes.
• Stir in the peas right before serving.

CUBAN ROASTED CHICKEN (POLLO ASADO CUBANO)

Steps:

• Rinse chicken, pat dry. Place chicken breast up in foil-lined shallow roasting pan. In mortar, place garlic, salt, oregano and black pepper, mash them well together. Mix garlic mixture with butter and lemon juice. With your fingers, carefully separate skin from breast, massage 1/2 of mixture gently between breast and skin, then spread the remaining mixture evenly over the whole chicken. Tuck wings under and tie legs together. The chicken will taste better if marinated overnight.
• Place pan in center of rack and cook for 55 minutes at 350° F, basting occasionally. Cook uncovered at 400° F for 5-7 minutes.