Chicken Ropa Vieja

Ropa Vieja is a mainstay of the Cuban-American diet. It’s traditionally made with skirt steak, a stringy cut of meat with the poetic name fajita (girdle) in Spanish. This recipe uses chicken breast and is fantastic; the leftovers are even better. It is wonderful served with white rice and fried plantains or a pineapple-coconut slaw.

Original recipe makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 small onion, quartered
1 tomato, quartered
1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, peeled

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1/4 cup tomato puree
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon ground cumin, or to taste
salt and pepper to taste

PREP

40 mins
COOK

45 mins
READY IN

1 hr 25 mins

Directions

Place chicken, onion, tomato, carrot, and 2 cloves of garlic into a large pot. Add water to cover, then bring to a boil. Skim and discard the foam that has floated to the surface. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered until the chicken is tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Place the chicken into a bowl and shred it into strips as thick as a pencil; set aside. Strain the cooking liquid and discard the vegetables.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, onions, green peppers, and red peppers. Cook and stir until the vegetables have softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in tomato puree, white wine, chicken, and enough of the reserved broth to create a thick sauce. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper. Simmer for about 5 minutes more to reduce the sauce slightly and coat the shredded chicken.