-Chicken Thighs -Adobo -Cooking Oil -Yellow Onion -Garlic -Sofrito -Tomato Sauce -Sazón Seasoning with Annatto
-Bay Leaves -Oregano -Manzanilla Olives -Potato -Carrots -Chicken Stock
Dry the chicken thighs thoroughly with paper towels. Then dice them into 2-inch cubes. Finally, season the chicken with adobo. (Helpful hint: freeze the chicken thighs for about 15 minutes to make them easier to dice.)
Set a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the oil to the pre-heated Dutch oven. Once it has warmed, add the diced chicken in one layer. Do not crowd the pot. Brown in batches if necessary. Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside.
Next, add the diced yellow onion to the pot and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Then add the finely chopped garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the sofrito and tomato sauce to the pot.
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until it is thick and bubbly. If you run a spoon through it, the sauce should remain divided.
Add the packet of sazón, oregano, bay leaves, diced potatoes, sliced carrots, manzanilla olives, and chicken stock into the pot.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then add the chicken back into the pot. Lower the heat, cover the pot and simmer for 40-50 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. If the stew hasn’t thickened, break a few of the potatoes apart with a fork, and keep the stew simmering with the lid off until it thickens.
When it is off the heat, sample the soup and add salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaves before serving. Garnish with cilantro (optional) and serve with white rice (optional). As we say in Puerto Rico, buen provecho!