Cuban Family Lemon-Garlic Chicken Braise (Pollo en Fricase-Style)

About This Recipe

Pollo en fricase is a Cuban Sunday staple - chicken braised low and slow in a wine and tomato sauce until it's falling-apart tender. This family version leans the sauce toward lemon and garlic instead of a heavier tomato base, keeping the braise bright while still built on the same technique: chicken seared first for color, then simmered gently in a covered pot until the meat is tender and the sauce has reduced into something worth spooning over rice. Searing the chicken skin-side down until deeply golden before braising is what gives the final sauce its color and depth - skipping that step leaves you with a pale, flat-tasting braise no matter how long it simmers.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 8bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1.5 tspfine sea salt(divided)
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 1onion(sliced)
• 1green bell pepper(sliced)
• 6 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 0.5 cupdry white wine
• 1 cupchicken stock
• 1lemon(juiced and zested)
• 1 tspdried oregano
• 1bay leaf
• 0.5 cupgreen olives
• 2 tbspchopped parsley or cilantro

Instructions

1. 1

   Sear the chicken

   Pat chicken dry and season with 1 tsp salt. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear thighs skin-side down 6-7 minutes until deeply golden. Flip and sear 3 minutes more, then remove.

   Do not move the chicken while it sears - let the skin release naturally, which usually takes the full 6-7 minutes.

2. 2

   Build the base

   Pour off all but 2 tbsp fat. Add onion and green pepper, cook 6 minutes until soft, then stir in garlic and oregano for 1 minute.

3. 3

   Deglaze

   Pour in the wine, scraping up any browned bits, and simmer 2 minutes until slightly reduced.

4. 4

   Braise

   Return chicken to the pot skin-side up. Add stock, lemon juice, lemon zest, bay leaf and remaining salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat 30-35 minutes until the chicken is tender.

5. 5

   Reduce the sauce

   Remove the lid, stir in olives, and simmer uncovered 8-10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.

6. 6

   Finish

   Remove bay leaf, taste for salt and acidity, and finish with chopped parsley or cilantro before serving over rice.

Variations

• •

  Add sliced carrots and potatoes to the braise for a heartier one-pot version, common in many Cuban households.

• •

  Swap white wine for dry sherry for a slightly nuttier depth.

• •

  Use bone-in chicken breasts instead of thighs, reducing the braising time to about 20-25 minutes to avoid drying them out.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days; the flavor deepens overnight. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, covered, adding a splash of stock if the sauce has thickened too much.

Frequently Asked Questions