Regular Ropa Vieja is bomb.com but this classic Cuban Dish can also be made with chicken and used as an empanada filling, tacos filling, and much, much, more. In fact, I make Chicken Ropa Vieja more often than regular Ropa Vieja because it’s easier and faster to make! Depending on what you’re using it for, you can also control just how saucey you make this dish. Regardless, it’s a crowd pleaser & winner each and every single time. Be sure to give this recipe a try when you want to try something different, or give beef a break.
Don’t miss my step-by-step video on How to Make Chicken Ropa Vieja | Shredded Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Chicken Breasts
- ½ tbs Sopita or Adobo
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- ½ tsp Dominican Oregano
- ¼ tsp Cumin
- ½ tbs sazón
- ¼ Black Pepper
- 2 tsp (Salsa China) Lite Sodium Soy Sauce
- 1 Fresh Lime
- Olive Oil
- 1-2 tbs Tomato Paste or Sauce
- Spanish Olives *Optional
- ½ Onion Minced
- ⅓ Green or Red Pepper Minced
Instructions
- Cut chicken breasts into medium-large cubes and place in mixing bowl
- Mince onions and pepper and add to mixing bowl
- Add adobo or sopita, onion powder, garlic powder, Dominican orégano, cumin, sazón, black pepper, salsa china (low sodium soy sauce), freshly squeezed lime juice and olive oil to mixing bowl. Mix until well combined
- Marinate for an 1 hour or overnight
- Warm up olive oil in skillet over medium flame
- Add chicken and brown on all sides for 5-7 minutes
- Add water making sure to add the leftover marinade in mixing bowl into the chicken as well
- Braise for 25-30 mins until chicken has cooked through. Add more water if necessary
- Add tomato paste and stir. Cook for another 2 minutes or until tomato paste has dissolved
- Remove chicken leaving behind sauce in pan
- Shred chicken by hand, forks, or tongs. Place shredded into large mixing bowl
- Once all of the chicken is shredded, heat up skillet with leftover sauce
- Add chicken and carefully fold chicken into sauce
- Cook for about 5 minutes. Add olives if you like
Notes
This dish is great as a filler for empanadas or any other stuffed savory pastry. You can also enjoy this dish with rice, mashed plantains or potatoes. As the leftover sauce cools, it will thicken on its own. If using as a filling, make sure to let sauce thicken considerably. If you eating with rice or potatoes, feel free to have a much more runny sauce. Enjoy. Buen provecho!
