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Recipe: Cuban-Style Chicken Fricassee with Yellow Rice and Black Beans

By Chef Jeff Philbin
Published  April 12, 2024 5:30am EDT
Dinner DeeAs
FOX 13 News

Chef Jeff Philbin comes to the rescue of Fox 13 anchor Linda Hurtado. She wanted a simple recipe for Chicken Fricassee which her children would like, and good enough to serve to her Cuban Mother-in-Law… and it needed to be quick to make, since not only is Linda an award-winning journalist by day, she's a published author by night.

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Cuban-Style Chicken Fricassee  

Ingredients

  • 8-10 chicken thighs (bone-in, skinless)
  • 2 cups mojo marinade (store bought is fine!)
  • 1 tsp salt (divided)
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¾ cup dry white cooking wine
  • 1 x 16 oz can tomato sauce
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • 2 packets sazon seasoning
  • ¼ cup pimiento-filled olives
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 small russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1" pieces
  • ½ cup peas

Directions

Marinade chicken pieces in mojo overnight or at least 4 hours.

Once marinated, remove chicken from marinade and pat dry.

Sprinkle chicken with ½ teaspoon of salt.

Heat olive oil in large pot, over high heat.

Brown chicken in batches (about 2 minutes per side) then remove from pan and set aside.

Add onion and green pepper to pan and sauté until translucent. Then add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add wine to pan and simmer with veggies for about 2 minutes.

Add 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 peas right before serving.

Yellow Rice

Ingredients

  • 1 x 14½ oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 3 tbsp salted butter
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 box Spanish-style yellow rice

Directions

Drain liquid from canned tomatoes into a measuring jug. Be sure to get as much liquid out as possible.

Add enough water to make 2½ cups total. Pour into a 2qt saucepan.

Add butter, cumin and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Add rice and included seasoning packet to simmering liquid. Cover saucepan and lower heat to a simmer.  

Cook, covered, until rice has absorbed the liquid and small holes appear across surface, 20-22 minutes.  Do not uncover saucepan during cooking.

When done, using a fork, rake through steaming hot rice to separate grains. Add drained, diced tomatoes. Serve immediately.

Cuban-Style Black Beans

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • ½ onion, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 scallions
  • 2 tbsp red bell pepper, chopped
  • 3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 x 15 oz can black beans, do not drain (I prefer Goya)
  • ½ cup water, or more if needed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • pinch cumin, to taste
  • pinch oregano
  • 1 tsp red wine vinegar
  • salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions

Add onion, garlic, scallions, red pepper, and cilantro to small bowl of food processor and blend.

Add oil to medium-sized pot on medium heat.

Add processed vegetables to pot and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes.

Add beans, water, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, red wine vinegar, salt and black pepper and bring to a boil.

Lower heat and cover, simmer about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally (adjust water as needed).

Taste for salt and serve.

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