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    Chicken Ropa Vieja

    Published: May 3, 2023 · Modified: Jun 3, 2023 by Dee · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    Inspired by traditional Ropa Vieja, which involves a cut of beef (like flank steak), that’s slowly cooked, shredded and stirred back in its sauce, this version is almost identical, except that we’ll be using chicken.

    chicken ropa vieja

    Making Chicken Ropa Vieja is faster than its beef counterpart, and perfect for a week night meal.

    You can use this recipe to enjoy as a meal on its own, or you can use this chicken to fill pastelitos or empanadas.

    Chicken Ropa Vieja Ingredients

    Here’s what you’ll need to make this meal:

    Chicken thighs: You can also use breast here, but I like the flavor of chicken thighs.

    Fresh veggies: I use bell pepper, onion, and garlic

    Spices: Adobo, paprika, coriander, cumin, chicken bouillon powder, black pepper, Dominican oregano (or sub regular oregano).

    Soy sauce: I use regular, but can sub in low sodium.

    Lime juice: For acid.

    Tomato paste: Can sub tomato puree/sauce if needed.

    How to Make Chicken Ropa Vieja

    Here’s how to make this recipe:

    Step 1: Season your chicken

    The first thing you’re doing to do is clean the chicken, and season it with your spices, chopped vegetables, soy sauce, and lime juice. Mix together and let sit on the counter for 20 minutes minimum, or up to overnight in the refrigerator.

    *Note: If refrigerating, make sure to take the chicken out 20–30 minutes before cooking so that it can come to room temperature.

    Step 2: Brown the chicken.

    Add some oil to a skillet with high sides and brown the chicken (cooking for about 3 minutes per side, depending). Make sure you don’t throw out the bowl the chicken was marinading in! We’ll be using it in the next step.

    Step 3: Stew the chicken.

    Once browned, add about a cup or 2 of water directly to the marinade bowl, swirling it around so you don’t miss any marinade. Now, pour the water over the chicken so that it’s covered. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and let cook for 30-40 minutes.

    When the chicken is almost finished and the sauce is a bit thickened, add the tomato paste and swirl around. Remove the chicken and let it sit for a bit until cooled slightly. Shut the heat off the sauce during this time (but don’t toss it). It’ll thicken a bit while sitting.

    Step 4: Shred the chicken.

    Shred the chicken using two forks.

    Step 5: Warm up the sauce.

    Turn the heat back on slightly and let the sauce come to a boil, then reduce for about 3-5 minutes.

    Step 6: Add the shredded chicken back.

    Add the shredded chicken back into the spot and stir to cover in the sauce.

    Note: If you’re making this dish to fill pastelitos or empanadas, consider making sure the sauce is a bit thicker so that it doesn’t make the dough soggy. If you’re eating this as a meal on its own, the sauce can be thinner.

    Print Recipe

    Chicken Ropa Vieja

    Chicken that's slowly cooked, shredded and stirred back in its sauce to enjoy as a meal or as a stuffing for pastelitos/empanadas.
    Prep Time30 minutes mins
    Cook Time1 hour hr
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Cuban
    Keyword: chicken ropa vieja, ropa vieja
    Servings: 4 people

    Ingredients

    • 2.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs cleaned and cut into chunks
    • ½ red bell pepper chopped
    • ½ yellow onion finely chopped
    • 4-6 garlic cloves finely chopped
    • 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
    • 2 teaspoon adobo
    • 1 teaspoon parika
    • ½ teaspoon coriander
    • ½ teaspoon cumin
    • ½ teaspoon oregano
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 tbs soy sauce
    • 1 lime juiced
    • 1-2 tbs tomato paste

    Instructions

    • Add the spices, chopped veggies, soy sauce, and lime juice to the chicken. Stir and let sit on the counter for 20 minutes, or in the refrigerator overnight. Make sure to let the chicken come to room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before cooking.
    • Add oil to a skillet with high sides over medium high heat. Brown the chicken in batches, then add 1-2 cups of water to the bowl the chicken was marinading in, making sure to stir to get every last marinade into the water. Pour into the skillet, making sure it covers the chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let cook for 30-40 minutes.
    • Once it's almost done, add the tomato paste to the chicken and stir to break uo. Remove the chicken and shut off the heat so that the sauce can thicken up a bit.
    • Once cooled enough, shred the chicken with two forks. Turn the heat back on the sauce, bringing it to a dancing boil for 3 minutes. Add the shredded chicken, stirring to combine it in the sauce.

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    Hi, I’m Dee! I’m just a regular gal from Queens, NY who loves creating bomb recipes and sharing them with whoever will read them. Let’s eat.

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