Chicken Afritada
A comforting and flavorful Filipino chicken stew with a tangy tomato sauce and vibrant vegetables, perfect for family dinners.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 350kcal
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 kg chicken, cut into workable pieces Bone-in is best for deeper flavor, but fillets can be used.
- 2 tbsp cooking oil Vegetable, canola, or olive oil.
- 1 large onion, chopped Chop roughly; precision is not necessary.
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced More garlic can be added to taste.
- 1 large bell pepper, diced or sliced
- 2 medium potatoes, cubed Skin can be left on.
- 1 large carrot, peeled and cut chunky
- 1 cup tomato sauce Adjust quantity based on desired sauciness.
- 0.5 cup water
- 1 tbsp fish sauce or soy sauce Just a splash.
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
- 1 pinch sugar Enhances the tang of the tomato.
- 1 bay leaf Optional; adds extra flavor.
- 1-2 hotdog slices Optional, for added flavor.
Instructions
Preparation
- Heat oil in a large pot until shimmery but not smoky.
- Brown the chicken pieces, skin-side first, until golden, then flip and brown other side.
- Remove chicken and set aside. Keep the browned bits in the pot.
Cooking the Sauce
- In the same pot, sauté onions until soft, then add garlic and sauté quickly until fragrant.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, a splash of water, and fish sauce. Add a pinch of sugar and scrape the bottom of the pot.
- Return the browned chicken to the pot and add a bay leaf. Let it simmer for a few minutes.
Adding Vegetables
- Add cubed potatoes and carrots first to the pot and stir. Let simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Add the bell pepper and peas, simmer until veggies are tender but not mushy.
Seasoning
- Taste the stew and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and additional fish sauce or sugar as needed.
Serving
- Serve hot over steaming rice, garnishing with extra bell peppers and a squeeze of calamansi or lemon.
Notes
Leftovers taste even better the next day. Can be frozen for later; the flavor holds up great.