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    Home / Cuban Kitchen / Ropa Vieja de Pollo

    Ropa Vieja de Pollo

    A clever Cuban adaptation — Ropa Vieja de Pollo gives the beloved shredded-beef classic a lighter, quicker turn, with chicken simmered until it falls apart in the same tomatoey sofrito of olives and capers.

    ⏱ 20 minPrep time
    🔥 50 minCook time
    🍽 6Servings
    🏷 Cuban KitchenCategory
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    Ropa Vieja de Pollo - Cubain recipe

    A clever Cuban adaptation — Ropa Vieja de Pollo gives the beloved shredded-beef classic a lighter, quicker turn, with chicken simmered until it falls apart in the same tomatoey sofrito of olives and capers. It has all the soul of the original, the ‘old clothes’ shreds, the briny pops of olive, the cumin-warm sauce, in about half the time. Over white rice with black beans, it is home cooking at its most reassuring.

    Cuban recipes →

    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
    2. Brown the chicken thighs in batches until golden on both sides, about 8 minutes total, then set them aside.
    3. In the same pot, cook the onion, bell pepper and garlic until soft, about 8 minutes.
    4. Stir in the cumin, oregano, bay leaves, tomato sauce and wine, scraping up the browned bits, and season with salt and pepper.
    5. Return the chicken to the pot, cover, and simmer gently for 30 minutes, until the thighs are very tender.
    6. Shred the chicken with two forks right in the sauce, and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes more to thicken.
    7. Fold in the olives and capers, taste for seasoning, and serve over white rice with tostones or moros y cristianos.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    Thighs are essential here — breast meat shreds dry. For even deeper flavor, use bone-in thighs and pull the bones out after cooking.

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    Recipe details

    Prep20 min
    Cook50 min
    Servings6
    CategoryCuban Kitchen
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

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