Lets face it. We love chicken. It’s on every menu in nearly every American restaurant and most of us have some sort of poultry in our refrigerators at any given time. Chicken comes in all shapes and sizes, on bone and off. We eat it deep fried and free range. We slice it up over salad greens and dice it up in fried rice. We roast chickens throughout cold winters and grill it all Summer on the BBQ. And why not? Chicken is inexpensive, leaner than most other meats and ever so tempting. It’s come to a point , though, where we have run out of inventive ways to prepare it (I will NOT stick a beercan up its bum and bake it). So, how to prepare a succulent, simple, economic and healthful chicken dinner? If you think ahead a little bit, you can prepare a gourmet meal in 20 minutes. The other night, I prepared a Pollo Fricassee ( chicken sauteed in onions, peppers, garlic, tomatoes and olives and red wine) just like you’ll find in any of my Cuban relatives homes.Such flavor, so simple, and rib sticking-ly good. I started with a sofrito I had made earlier in the week (see recipe here), and reduced it a bit with some red wine while I grilled some chicken breasts. I served the chicken and delicious sauce over a bed of fluffy white rice and some steamed fresh kale and garlic. QUE RICO! .
POLLO FRICASSEE A LA HABANA
(YIELD 3-4 Servings) 
6-8 boneless chicken breasts or thighs
1 cup prepared sofrito
2/3 cup red or white wine or amber beer
OR
2/3 cup chicken stock and 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup pitted and sliced green olives or seedless raisins (optional)
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Parsley, Chives, or Fresh Taragon for garnish (optional)
On platter, add a pinch of salt and pepper to chicken.
Preheat indoor or outdoor grill.
Place chicken on grill for 1-2 minutes per side til grill marks appear. Do not cook through. Set chicken aside on clean platter.
Grilled Chicken
In cast iron pan, heat sofrito mixture over medium heat til bubbling.
Add one cup of either red or white wine or beer (or stock and lemon juice) and allow to reduce by about one third ( about 5-7 minutes)
Add olives or raisins if desired
Stir occasionally.
Grilled Chicken in Fricassee Sauce
Place chicken pieces in mixture. With a large spoon, drench chicken with sauce. reduce heat to low and cover til chicken cooks through ( about 5 minutes).
Pollo Fricassee a La Habana with White Rice and Steamed Kale
Serve over white rice, potatoes and vegetables or alongside your favorite salad. and pour a glass of your favorite wine.