Dominican-Style Slow Simmered Chicken Stew with Root Vegetables

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-07 · Updated 2026-07-07

A hearty Caribbean chicken stew featuring tender chicken thighs simmered with traditional Dominican root vegetables and bold spices for a comforting meal. This caribbean-inspired chicken ready in about 70 minutes pairs bone-in chicken thighs, medium, diced yellow onion, minced garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 6 pieces bone-in chicken thighs
• 2 medium, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes sweet potatoes
• 1 cup, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes yucca (cassava) root
• 1 large, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices plantain
• 1 medium, diced yellow onion
• 4, minced garlic cloves
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped, for garnish fresh cilantro
• for serving lime wedges

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large heavy-bottom pot over medium-high heat. Add 6 bone-in chicken thighs skin side down and brown for 5 minutes until golden, then flip and brown the other side for 4 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
2. Step 2: In the same pot, add 1 medium diced yellow onion and 4 minced garlic cloves, sauté over medium heat for 4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
3. Step 3: Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp dried oregano, and 1 tsp ground cumin; cook for 2 minutes until the tomato paste darkens and spices are aromatic.
4. Step 4: Return the chicken thighs to the pot along with 4 cups chicken broth, 2 bay leaves, 1 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover for 25 minutes.
5. Step 5: Add 2 medium diced sweet potatoes, 1 cup diced yucca root, and 1 large sliced plantain to the pot. Simmer uncovered for another 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is fully cooked.
6. Step 6: Remove bay leaves, adjust seasoning if needed, and garnish with 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro. Serve the stew hot with lime wedges on the side for squeezing.