Chicken Afritada #FilipinoFoodsPhilippines

Afritada is one of those tomato sauce based stews that is generally believed to have been introduced in the Philippines by the Spaniards. It's a versatile Filipino food in which you can use beef, pork and other meats.

Ingredients:

6 tbsps. of olive oil (not extra virgin)
750 g. of chicken thighs
750 g. of chicken drumsticks
1 Spanish chorizo (about 150 grams), sliced into 1/4-inch rings
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 onions, chopped
1 c. of red wine
3 c. of diced tomatoes
leaves from a sprig of oregano (or 1/2 tsp. of dried oregano)
300 g. of carrot, peeled and cut into wedges
300 g. of stewing potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
2 dried laurel leaves
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. of sugar

Procedures:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large thick-bottomed pot. Add the chicken pieces, in batches if necessary, and cook until lightly browned. Add the chopped onions, minced garlic and laurel leaves, and cook, stirring, until the onion bits start to soften, about three minutes.

2. Pour in the red wine. Boil, uncovered, until the liquid is reduced to less than half.

3. Add the diced tomatoes and oregano. Stir. Season with salt, pepper and sugar.

4. Add the sliced chorizo, carrot and potato wedges. Stir.

5. Cover the pot tightly and simmer the stew for 40 to 50 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure no scorched crust forms at the bottom of the pot. If the liquid evaporates too fast, add broth or water, no more than half a cup at a time. Toward the end of cooking time, taste the sauce and add more salt, pepper or sugar if necessary. Remove the laurel leaves after cooking.

6. For best results, allow the cooked stew to sit for a couple of hours to allow the flavors to infuse and fully develop. Reheat to serve.