Name: Spaghetti Sauce Chicken Afritada Stew
Total time: 1 hour
Yield: 6–8 servings
Ingredients: 1/4 cup vegetable oil; 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 2 medium onions, halved and sliced into thin half-moons; 4 pounds bone-in, skinless chicken pieces; 3 large potatoes, peeled, halved lengthwise, and quartered crosswise; 2 large carrots, coarsely chopped; 2 cups unsalted chicken broth or water; 1 (24-ounce) jar spaghetti sauce; 1/2 cup soy sauce; 2 teaspoons granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 2 small bay leaves; 2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced into strips; 1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips; 2 tablespoons fish sauce, for serving (optional); 6–8 cups cooked white rice, for serving

Porcelain green plate with a stewed chicken thigh and cubed potatoes and carrots next to a pile of white rice. Beside a...

Photo by Rowena Dumlao-Giardina

Afritada, a traditional chicken and vegetable stew, is a gateway dish to Filipino cuisine. It’s a great one to prepare when someone isn’t familiar with traditional Filipino food because the core ingredients are classic flavors in almost every place in the world. It opens up the eater’s mind to the possibility of what else Filipino food may have to offer. Spaghetti sauce, instead of fresh tomatoes or tomato sauce, is used in this recipe for convenience and taste.

Recipe information

Total Time
1 hour
Yield
6–8 servings

Ingredients

1/4 cup vegetable oil

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 medium onions, halved and sliced into thin half-moons

4 pounds bone-in, skinless chicken pieces

3 large potatoes, peeled, halved lengthwise, and quartered crosswise

2 large carrots, coarsely chopped

2 cups unsalted chicken broth or water

1 (24-ounce) jar spaghetti sauce

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 small bay leaves

2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced into strips

1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips

2 tablespoons fish sauce, for serving (optional)

6–8 cups cooked white rice, for serving

Preparation

Step 1
In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onions and cook for 3 minutes, until the onions are soft.
Step 2
Add the chicken pieces and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is no longer raw on the outside.
Step 3
Stir in the potatoes, carrots, chicken broth, spaghetti sauce, soy sauce, sugar, black pepper, and bay leaves. Stir well and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
Step 4
Add the bell peppers. Continue cooking for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender.
Step 5
Remove the afritada from the heat. Stir in the fish sauce, if using, and serve hot with the rice.

Cookbook cover with a white-on-white diamond pattern and a white tureen of mushroom-dumpling soup with calamansi and chives scattered around on white wooden counter top

TagsStew Soup/Stew Filipino Southeast Asian Asian Chicken Poultry Bell Pepper Vegetable Rice Rice & Grains Main Dinner Dairy Free Gluten Free Nut Free Easy One-Pot Meals Weeknight Meals Braise Dutch Oven Cookbooks

Recipe notes

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Recipe information

Ingredients

Preparation

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Recipe notes

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

36 Classic and Modern Filipino Recipes

10 Filipino Recipes to Add to Your Weeknight Rotation