Filipino Chicken Afritada

The best tasting Chicken Afritada I’ve ever had. Tender chicken, soft carrots and potatoes smothered in a rich and flavorful sauce. The sauce is made of tomatoes, tomato paste, and your favorite Filipino seasonings.

This recipe requires a little bit of effort to cook but it’s so worth it! Nothing complicated, just simple cooking techniques that will make your favorite stew dish amazingly delicious!

Note: Old recipe updated including photos. The video will be up soon!

What you need to make Filipino Chicken Afritada

• Chicken – I use 1 whole chicken cut in 14 pieces, bone-in and skin-on. You can also use thighs and legs.
• Fresh Tomatoes – There’s just something about it that makes stews even more delicious. To thicken the sauce and to deepen the reddish color, a couple of tablespoons of tomato-paste is all we need.
• Marinade – soy sauce and calamansi (calamondin) or lemon juice is the secret to the best-tasting Chicken Afritada.
• Fish Sauce (Patis) – I just can’t enough of it!
• Vegetables – the classic CBP of course–carrots, potatoes, and bell peppers. You can also add frozen green peas to make it extra festive! Perfect for Christmas Noche Buena or New Year’s Medianoche.
• Liquid – Use water or your favorite meat broth. If using store-bought broths, I recommend using the low-sodium kind.

Where to buy calamansi?

Calamansi is widely available in local wet markets and supermarkets in the Philippines and most Asian countries.

In the U.S., pure calamansi juice is sold in packets and can be found in some Asian/Filipino stores.  Amazon also sells pure bottled calamansi juice. Consume immediately once the packet or bottle is opened. My Mama tried freezing leftovers and she said it was good for 3 days.

How to Make the Best Chicken Afritada

Learn the easiest techniques to make your favorite Chicken Afritada. Let’s start, shall we?

• Marinate chicken pieces in soy sauce and calamansi juice/lemon juice for 1 to 2 hours. If I’m cooking this for lunch then I do this first thing in the morning, forget about it for a while then go on with my day.
• Brown the chicken on both sides in hot oil. Do this in batches if the pot is not big enough. I did mine in two batches. This step is crucial in building the best Chicken Afritada flavor.

• Cook and softened the onions, garlic, tomatoes, and seasonings in the. Stir, scraping the bottom of the pot. This will amplify all flavors even more.
• Add back the chicken. Season with black pepper. Use two wooden spoons and gently toss until chicken is coated with all the flavors. Cook for a few minutes until the juices come out–building flavors continues!
• Add the carrots and potatoes. Pour water or chicken broth (low sodium) then cover with a lid. Stew for 20 minutes then remove the lid and continue cooking over medium heat until chicken and vegetables are fork-tender and the sauce has thickened. This would take about 10 to 15 minutes more.

• Add the green and red bell peppers including the green peas if using.
• Taste sauce and adjust salt and pepper to taste. and Cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat. And it’s done! Serve with rice and enjoy!

Cooking notes:

1. Searing Shortcut: Brown only one side of the chicken, preferably the skin side.
2. Brighter vegetables: Sear the vegetables in hot oil (before searing chicken) to make the color brighter. I do this if you whenever I have extra time.
3. Cooking time: Adjust cooking time if using smaller pieces of chicken. Test doneness after 15 minutes, remove the lid to thicken the sauce just a bit.
4. Substitutes: substitute soy sauce with light soy sauce; fresh tomatoes with canned chopped tomatoes
5. You can marinate the chicken overnight. Place in a zip bag along with the marinade and massage. Seal tightly.
6. Vegetable variations: green peas, garbanzos and I’ve also seen people adding green beans to their Afritada.
7. If using chicken broth, use low sodium so the sauce won’t end up being too salty.
8. Cut carrots and potatoes in a large size so they can cook together with the meat and won’t get mushy.

Love Filipino food? Here are more recipes for you!

• Beef Pares
• Chicken Inasal
• Pininyahang Manok
• Easy Kare Kare Recipe
• Pork Ribs Adobo
• Sweet and Spicy Beef Tapa
• Bicol Express
• Beef Nilaga
• Filipino Chicken Curry
• Tender Pork Humba
• Pork Afritada with Fresh Tomatoes
• Beef Caldereta

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