Description
Chicken Afritada is a classic Filipino stew featuring tender, bone-in chicken simmered in a rich tomato sauce with potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, and green peas. This hearty and comforting dish is perfect served hot with steamed rice or crusty bread, offering a flavorful blend of savory, tangy, and slightly sweet notes.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or drumsticks
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Vegetables
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 medium green bell pepper, sliced
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
- 1 cup frozen or fresh green peas
Sauce and Garnish
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup low-sodium or no-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
- 2 green onions, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Brown Chicken: Season the chicken thighs or drumsticks with salt and black pepper. In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat the vegetable oil and brown the chicken on all sides until golden. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics and Vegetables: Add the chopped onion to the pot and cook until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Deglaze the pot by adding a small amount of chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom. Stir in the cubed potatoes and sliced carrots. Then add the sliced red and green bell peppers and sauté until slightly softened.
- Simmer with Sauce: Pour in the tomato sauce and the remaining chicken broth. Return the browned chicken pieces to the pot. Add the low-sodium soy sauce, bay leaf, and sugar if using. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently for 25 to 30 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and the vegetables are tender.
- Add Peas: Stir in the green peas during the last 5 minutes of cooking to heat through without overcooking them.
- Serve: Remove and discard the bay leaf. Garnish the Chicken Afritada with chopped green onions. Serve hot alongside steamed rice or with crusty bread for a complete meal.
Notes
- Use bone-in, skin-on chicken for more flavorful and tender meat.
- Adjust the seasoning gently if using low-sodium broth and soy sauce to keep sodium levels moderate.
- Add sugar to balance the acidity of the tomato sauce if desired.
- For a thicker sauce, you can simmer uncovered for a few more minutes after cooking.
- Chicken Afritada can be reheated and tastes even better the next day as flavors meld.
