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Pollo a la Mexicana

This hearty braise sears seasoned chicken, then simmers it in tomato sauce loaded with jalapeño, onion, garlic, and potatoes until everything is fork-tender and super flavorful. It’s the kind of one-skillet comfort food that fills the whole house with the best smell and tastes like it’s been cooking on the stove for hours.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Dinner, main, Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine: Latin American, Mexican
Keyword: chicken, easy, easy dinner, easy Mexican meals, easy recipes, fall, one pan, one pot, pollo, potato, stew, weeknight meals, winter
Servings: 6 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

  • 4 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs boneless chicken leg meat and/or bone-in drumsticks
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil

For the Sauce and Vegetables:

  • 4 Roma tomatoes roughly chopped
  • ½ white onion sliced into strips
  • 3 jalapeños sliced into strips
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 4 medium Yukon gold potatoes roughly chopped into large chunks
  • 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp salt plus more to taste
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil
  • Fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions

  • Season the chicken generously on all sides with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, black pepper, and salt.
  • Heat oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken in batches for 4–5 minutes per side until deeply golden and caramelized on both sides. Remove and set aside, do not wipe the pan.
  • In the same skillet reduce the heat to medium and add the sliced onion and jalapeños. Cook 3–4 minutes until slightly softened and starting to caramelize, scraping up any browned bits from the chicken as you go. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more until fragrant. Add the chopped tomatoes, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and cook for 3–4 minutes until the tomatoes start to break down and release their juices.
  • Pour in the tomato sauce and chicken broth and stir everything together. Bring to a simmer then add the potato and stir to coat them in the sauce. Nestle the seared chicken pieces directly on top of the potatoes and vegetables so they sit just above the sauce.
  • Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 30–35 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender, the chicken is cooked through to 165°F, and the sauce has thickened into a rich deeply flavored braise. Uncover for the last 10 minutes to let the sauce reduce slightly.
  • Taste the sauce and adjust salt as needed. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve straight from the skillet with warm corn tortillas on the side.

Notes

  • Sear the chicken in batches so the pan stays hot. Overcrowding drops the temperature and steams the chicken instead of giving it that golden crust.
  • Don’t wipe the pan after searing. All those browned bits on the bottom are pure flavor and become the foundation of the sauce when you deglaze with the onions and jalapeños.
  • Uncovering the skillet for the last 10 minutes lets the sauce reduce and concentrate into a thicker consistency that coats everything instead of being soupy.