Crockpot Sofrito Chicken

Years ago my crockpot was just another kitchen contraption collecting dust.  Occasionally I’d throw a hunk of beef in there and make some stew, but for the most part the crockpot just wasn’t getting any love.  The past few years I’ve really started embracing it’s convenience and enjoy trying new dishes in it.  My Sofrito Chicken is a fine example of how awesome a crockpot can be!

I tend to use the crockpot on days where I know I have a lot going on or when I just don’t want to deal with a dinner time production.  Throw it all together, pop a lid on it and 4-8 hours later dinner is ready to go.  Of course any crockpot recipe can easily be made in the oven or a dutch oven, if you’d like.

Onto sofrito.  For those not familiar with it, it’s best described as a liquid seasoning, it has a thin salsa consistency.  A few tablespoons is used in anything and sometimes almost everything in Latin food – meats, stews, rice, beans.  Everyone makes it a little different.  It’s basically a combination of pureed or chopped peppers, onions, garlic and cilantro.  You can buy this stuff already made at the store in the freezer section, but I suggest making it yourself to experience the real flavor.

This chicken recipe is slow cooked in a what’s basically a big batch of sofrito, some herbs and spices and chicken broth.  I know you’re looking at the longer than usual list of ingredients thinking “Whaaat!? I don’t have some of this stuff”.  Hear me out….

Cubanelle peppers.  This is a long, sweet, yellow/green pepper.  Cubanelles are a pretty common pepper, often referred to as simply “cooking peppers” or “yellow peppers”.  If they are not available, substitute a bell pepper.

As for Sazon and Adobo – I swear I’m not a spokesperson for Goya products.  ( Not yet, anyhow.  A *hint, hint* to Goya lol. )  I do use both seasonings often in my cooking.  I absolutely, positively recommend picking both up.  Sazon comes in a small box with individual packets inside and Adobo is in a regular spice container – you’ll usually find them in the “ethnic section” of your grocery store.  They both lend important flavors to this recipe and many other Latin recipes.  Good news is, buying both of these will only set you back a few bucks and I’m sure you’ll find plenty of other uses for both seasonings.

As most crockpot recipes – there’s some prep work involved and then you’re pretty much done.  Throw the chicken thighs in the crockpot, no browning is necessary.  I wash, prep and roughly chop the green pepper, cubanelle peppers, onion, garlic and cilantro.  I toss them all into my food processor, pulse it and drizzle in the olive oil.  Process until mixture is a runny salsa consistency.  Alternatively, if you don’t have a food processor or a blender, you could finely chop or grate everything by hand.

Pour the sofrito on top of the chicken in the crockpot.  Follow with remaining ingredients and pour warm chicken broth over it all.  Pop the lid on and cook for 4 hours on low or 8 hours on high – whichever works for you.

That’s it.  I serve this almost like a stew. I dish out a giant spoonful of all that “sofrito sauce goodness” into a pasta bowl, top with some rice and a piece of chicken.  Sprinkle with a pinch of chopped cilantro if you’d like.

There’s just so much flavor in this chicken.  Bright, bold, fresh – it’s a wonderful change of pace.  Liven up that chicken with this Latin inspired crockpot dinner.

I do hope you love this recipe as much as we do.  I’d love to hear your comments!  Thanks for stopping by : )

Until next time…..

-Amanda-

Crockpot Sofrito Chicken

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

8 hours

Total time

8 hours 20 mins

 

A flavorful Latin inspired Sofrito Chicken for the crockpot. Peppers, onions, tomatoes, garlic and cilantro make this slow cooked chicken a must try!

Author: Amanda

Recipe type: Crockpot, Chicken

Cuisine: Latin

Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 3 lbs chicken thighs (bone-in)
• 1 large green bell pepper
• 2 medium cubanelle peppers
• 1 large onion
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 handful of cilantro (optional)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained (14.5 oz)
• small can tomato sauce (8 oz)
• 1 packet goya sazon seasoning
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon goya adobo seasoning
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• pinch of oregano
• 10 olives + 2 tablespoon olive juice
• 1½ cup warm chicken broth
• prepared rice

Instructions

1. Place chicken in crockpot.
2. Wash, prep and roughly chop peppers, onion, cilantro and garlic for food processor.
3. Process veggies, drizzle in olive oil. Pulse until you have a thin salsa consistency. This is your sofrito.
4. Pour sofrito over chicken.
5. Pour can of undrained diced tomatoes and tomato sauce over chicken.
6. Add packet of sazon, bay leaves, adobo, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, oregano, olives and olive juice.
7. Pour warm chicken broth over top.
8. Cover crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours - whichever works for you.
9. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
10. Eat this almost like a stew. Serve chicken with a BIG ladle of sofrito/juices/sauce and a hearty portion of rice. Sprinkle with a pinch of chopped cilantro if you like.
11. Enjoy : )

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