Ropa vieja is a mainstay of the Cuban-American diet. It’s traditionally made with skirt steak, a stringy cut of meat with the poetic name fajita (girdle) in Spanish. This fantastic recipe uses shredded chicken breast; the leftovers are even better. It is wonderful served with white rice and fried plantains or a pineapple-coconut slaw.
Preparation Details
Prep Time: 40 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast
- 1 small onion, quartered
- 1 tomato, quartered
- 1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- ½ green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
- ½ red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup tomato puree
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin, or to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
Steps
- Place chicken, onion, tomato, carrot, and 2 cloves garlic into a large pot. Add water to cover, then bring to a boil. Skim and discard the foam that floats to the surface. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered until chicken is tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
- Place chicken into a bowl and shred it into strips as thick as a pencil; set aside. Strain and reserve cooking liquid; discard vegetables.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell peppers, and minced garlic. Cook and stir until vegetables have softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in tomato purée, white wine, chicken, and enough of the reserved broth to create a thick sauce. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper. Simmer until sauce is slightly reduced and coats chicken, about 5 minutes.
