Chicken Afritada is a delicious Filipino stew with definite European leanings; it is cooked in a tomato sauce with lots of root vegetables.
Whilst this dish takes around an hour and a half to prepare and cook, it is very easy, and it is a perfect dish to prepare in advance.
Filipino Chicken Stew
Many people, when they think of Filipino food, would leap to the globally popular chicken adobo.
However, it is a cuisine that has truly embraced colonial food influences, and dishes like Filipino spaghetti, beef kaldereta, beef mechado and pork menudo all feature very European ingredients and styles of cooking.
This Filipino chicken afritada recipe follows in the footsteps of the menudo and kaldereta with strong Spanish influences.
My version of this dish uses bone-in chicken leg pieces and cooks them in a pretty classic tomato sauce seasoned with fish sauce.
It's loaded with a combination of vegetables, roots like potato and carrot are joined by soft, sweet peppers and peas.
I couldn't resist the allure of adding some raisins, which are more common in menudo, but they double down in the sweet notes and add a wonderful texture.
Yes, it takes a while to cook, almost an hour and a half... but it is very easy and requires no special skills or equipment, just a little time.
You are rewarded with a fantastic, simple, filling and outrageously tasty dinner!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use boneless chicken?
Yes, but be sure to use thigh or drumstick meat and leave it in big chunks. You can cook it for around 10-12 minutes less if you do this.
Can I leave the skin on the chicken?
Yes, but it will never crisp up, leaving you with flabby skin and a lot more fat in the sauce.
Now, whilst that is not considered the "done thing" in Western cuisine, it is not uncommon, and whilst it is an acquired taste, it is delicious!
Do I have to add the raisins?
No, they can be omitted, but I love the little bursts of sweetness that they offer.
Green olives are a much more common addition to this dish, which I don't like, but they offer a big punch of umami if that is more your thing!
Can I make this in advance?
Yes, this dish is superb when it is reheated. It will store in the fridge for 2-3 days in an air-tight container.
Reheat it gently until the chicken is piping hot, and get stuck in.
Serving Suggestions
This chicken afritada stew is the perfect one-bowl dinner, and it really doesn't need a side.
It is loaded with veggies and meat; however, there is lots of lovely sauce which just begs to be scooped up with a nice chunk of bread.
I usually opt for some crusty French stick, which is relatively similar to a Filipino bread called pandesal.
But any bread that takes your fancy works wonderfully!
Equipment Used
I only mention specific brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- 20cm or 8" heavy-based pan with a lid.
- Kicthen tongs.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
- Kicthen knife.
- Chopping board.
- Vegetable peeler.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
Filipino Chicken Afritada Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Chicken Legs 450g Total
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 Medium Onion 150g
- 4 Garlic Cloves
- 2 tablespoon Cooking Oil
- 1 Medium Potato 300g
- 1 Medium Carrot 150g
- 1 Red Pepper
- 50 g Raisins ⅓ Cup
- 175 ml Chicken Stock ¾ Cup
- 350 ml Tomato Passata 1½ Cup
- 2 tablespoon Fish Sauce
- 1 Bay Leaf
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Sugar
- 100 g Frozen Peas ⅔ Cup
Instructions
- Cut the chicken legs into a thigh and drumstick portion (optional), and remove the skin.
- Cut the onion in half, peel it and then cut it in to a 1cm (just under ½") dice.
- Peel the garlic cloves and chop them as finely as you can.
- Heat a 20cm or 8" heavy-based pan (with a lid) over a medium heat, add the oil, and when it is hot, add the onions and soften for 10 minutes.
- Whilst the onions are cooking cut the carrot into a 1½cm (just over ½" dice).
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into a dice the same size as the carrots.
- De-seed the pepper, and then cut it into a dice the same size as the carrot and potato.
- By now, the onions should have softened and just started to become golden. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Season the chicken with the salt, add them to the pan and cook them for 5 minutes. You are not aiming to sear them, just get them started and coated in the garlic oil.
- Add the potatoes, carrots, red pepper and raisins, then stir to combine.
- Pour in the chicken stock, tomato passata, and fish sauce, then add the bay leaf, black pepper and sugar, then stir to combine, add a lid and simmer on low for 45 minutes.
- Whilst the stew is cooking, defrost the peas by running them under cold water.
- After 45 minutes, remove the lid, turn up the heat to a gentle boil, then add the peas and cook for a final 10 minutes and serve.