It may have a French-sounding name, but this homey, hearty, tomato-forward chicken braise, made with sofrito as its base and with golden rum as part of the cooking liquid, is Caribbean in essence and flavor. In this recipe from our cookbook “ Milk Street 365: The All-Purpose Cookbook for Every Day of the Year ,” we adapted San Juan chef Jose Santaella’s recipe from his book “Cocina Tropical.” Instead of a whole cut-up chicken, we use only bone-in thighs, as dark meat stands up better to braising than more delicate breast meat.
We also simmer the potatoes and carrots for about 10 minutes in a little water, giving the root vegetables a head start on cooking before the tomatoes, wine and rum are introduced. If added raw to an acidic liquid, the vegetables require extended cooking to fully tenderize. You will need 1 cup of sofrito for this recipe, so be sure to cook up a batch in advance.
The braising liquid is quite acidic. Be sure to use a nonreactive pot, such as stainless steel or enamel-coated cast iron, so the metal does not react to the acidity and cause “off” flavors. After returning the browned chicken to the Dutch oven, cover the pot only partially.
A little evaporation is desirable so the braise isn’t too watery. Serve the fricassee with rice and, if you’re so inclined, with fried sweet plantains. Chicken Fricase with Tomatoes, Potatoes and Carrots Start to finish: 11⁄4 hours (30 minutes active) Servings: 4 to 6 Ingredients: 1 tablespoon dried orega.