Puerto Rican-Style Chicken Stew with Sofrito and Plantains

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-29 · Updated 2026-04-29

A comforting chicken stew infused with traditional Puerto Rican sofrito and sweet fried plantains for a perfect balance of savory and sweet. This caribbean-inspired chicken ready in about 70 minutes pairs bone-in chicken thighs, olive oil, sofrito for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 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
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup sofrito
• 4, minced garlic cloves
• 1 medium, diced onion
• 1 medium, diced green bell pepper
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 medium, peeled and cubed potatoes
• 2, peeled and sliced diagonally ripe plantains
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup, chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Season 6 bone-in chicken thighs with 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp dried oregano. Brown the chicken thighs for 4-5 minutes per side until golden; remove and set aside.
2. Step 2: In the same pot, add 1 cup sofrito, 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 medium diced onion, and 1 medium diced green bell pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes until fragrant and the vegetables soften.
3. Step 3: Stir in 1 cup tomato sauce and cook for 2 minutes until the sauce deepens in color.
4. Step 4: Return the chicken to the pot along with 3 cups chicken broth, 2 medium peeled and cubed potatoes, and 2 bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 35 minutes until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender.
5. Step 5: While the stew simmers, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry 2 peeled and diagonally sliced ripe plantains for 2-3 minutes per side until golden and caramelized; drain on paper towels.
6. Step 6: Remove bay leaves from the stew and sprinkle 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro. Serve the stew hot topped with fried plantains for a sweet contrast.