Brighten up your dinner table with colorful and vibrant Chicken Afritada with Pineapple. This Spanish-inspired Filipino dish features chicken simmered with various vegetables in a flavorful tomato sauce. It’s guaranteed to become your new favorite!
*Note: This Pineapple Chicken Afritada first appeared on February 1, 2014. As it’s one of the most popular recipes on Yummy Addiction, I decided to update the post with new pictures and a video!
Chicken has always been the favorite type of meat in my family, hands down. It’s lean, it’s tender, it’s super versatile. However, lately, I am sick and tired of the same chicken dishes over and over. I mean, Chicken Scallopini on one day, Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry on another day occasionally going with Chicken Macaroni Salad for a lighter dinner. Sounds great, right? It sure does but we all need to freshen things up from time to time.
I am looking for new and unexplored chicken dishes all the time. Pinterest, Youtube, Google, you name it. Some experiments fail (to be frank, the majority of them) but sometimes I do find a real gem that makes it all worth it. Today is the day when I want to share my latest crush with you, guys. Meet Chicken Afritada with pineapple!
This Spanish-inspired Filipino dish is usually made with chicken or pork simmered in tomato sauce with various vegetables. In my case, it’s chicken with potatoes, bell peppers, onions, pineapple, and green beans. What a combination! Just look at all these colors. Vibrant, colorful, and crazy delicious!
Chicken Afritada is really easy to make and the taste is GORGEOUS! Perfectly tender chicken, delicious sauce, yummy veggies… I fried potatoes, carrots, and bell pepper separately before adding them to the dish. The reason – this way the veggies don’t absorb the sauce and have a different texture which brings a bit of a different flavor to this meal. Such a simple trick but it works!
I just HAD to share it with you all! Don’t forget to check out my Filipino spring rolls recipe!
Chicken Afritada With Pineapple
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 2 lb (900g) chicken drumsticks , skin on
- 3-4 small potatoes , peeled and cubed
- 1 carrot , chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper , sliced into strips
- 3 cloves garlic , chopped
- 1 red onion , chopped
- 1 14 oz. (400g) can tomato puree
- 1 8 oz. (225g) can pineapple chunks , reserve syrup, drained
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 dried bay leaves
- 1/2 cup green peas
- salt and pepper , to taste
- 6 tablespoons cooking oil , divided
Instructions
- In a big pan over medium heat, heat 4 tablespoons of oil. Add potatoes and cook for about 1 minute. Then add carrot and cook for about 2 minutes. Add bell pepper and cook for about 1 minute. Remove all vegetables from pan and drain on paper towels.
- Warm the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the same pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Then add chicken and brown it slightly. Add the tomato puree, pineapple syrup, soy sauce, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is almost tender. Stir occasionally.
- Add potatoes, yellow bell pepper, carrots, and pineapple chunks and continue to cook for 5-6 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked. Add the green peas, season with salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes more. Serve hot. Enjoy!
66 Comments
Joel A.
February 5, 2014 at 4:17 pmLooks very delicious. It has been years since I’ve tried chicken afritada. I haven’t tried it with pineapples yet but this looks perfect.
Jovita
February 5, 2014 at 7:47 pmThank you, Joel! Let me know if you try it out. You’ll love it!
Julie
October 14, 2014 at 1:38 amCan you use chicken breasts instead of the drumsticks.
Jovita
October 15, 2014 at 7:46 amHi Julie! I didn’t try but I don’t see why not. Just keep in mind your cooking time may be different.
Gina
February 5, 2014 at 4:47 pmWow, looks so vibrant and delicious! I’ve never heard of frying the potatoes/carrots separately to prevent them from getting mushy… I’ll try it next time, I hate soggy carrots in stews!
Jovita
February 5, 2014 at 7:57 pmThank you very much Gina! Hope you enjoy it!
Crystal S. | Apples & Sparkle
February 5, 2014 at 6:23 pmYum. This sounds really good! Just when you think you’ve seen everything there is to do with chicken, there’s something new. I love the idea of these flavors! Pinned it! : )
Jovita
February 5, 2014 at 7:35 pmHi Crystal! I’m very happy you liked it! Thanks for pinning! 😉
Yelena
February 5, 2014 at 6:30 pmLooks great! the colors mix well together and it looks absolutely mouthwatering!
Jovita
February 5, 2014 at 7:40 pmThanks for the kind words, Yelena!
Allen
February 10, 2014 at 9:02 amAn all time Filipino favourite!!! Yummy Jovita, you nailed it 🙂
Jovita
February 10, 2014 at 9:15 amI’m glad you like it, Allen! 🙂
CakePants
February 12, 2014 at 4:28 amI’d never heard of afritada before, but this sounds great! The combination of pineapple with the chicken and veggies is an intriguing and enticing one.
Jovita
February 12, 2014 at 8:24 amThank you for your kind words!
Melissa Gusman
March 24, 2014 at 6:41 pmI am dying to try this, but haven’t really Browned drumsticks in the stovetop before. Do I just turn them so that the skin gets browned, and leave the skin on after adding the other ingredients? I bought all ingredients and will be trying it this week!
Jovita
March 24, 2014 at 8:00 pmHi, Melissa! I’m so glad you decided to try this. Yes, you should fry drumsticks until they are nicely browned on all sides. Then leave the skin on and add the other ingredients. The browning seals in flavor and moisture and adds a lot of flavor. 😉
Melissa Gusman
March 27, 2014 at 12:27 amI followed your directions for frying and it came out great! Loved the sweet and sour sauce, and the chicken cooked up just right and was tender. Thanks for posting!
Jovita
March 27, 2014 at 8:09 amThanks so much for reporting back, I appreciate it so much, Melissa! And I’m so happy you loved it! Let me know any recipes you try next. 😉
Alisha
May 12, 2014 at 7:33 pmIs this just a dish you’d eat on its own, or with rice?
Jovita
May 12, 2014 at 8:08 pmHi, Alisha! Usually it is served with rice but it can be eaten on its own too.
Dy Torreon
June 16, 2014 at 3:08 amyummy 🙂 .. i will try this to impress my girlfriend. thanks for posting.
Jovita
June 16, 2014 at 7:36 amThanks, I know she will love this! 🙂
Ellen Mae
June 18, 2014 at 3:53 pmHi! I love afritada, and the pineapple sounds like an amazing addition. Would chicken thighs be the same amount of cook time?
Jovita
June 19, 2014 at 6:38 pmHi, Ellen! Actually, I have never tried this with chicken thighs. Try to increase the simmering time from 20 minutes to 25-27 minutes, then continue the process according to the recipe. If you try this, let me know how it turns out. 😉
divina
June 20, 2014 at 5:39 pmI’ve been looking for an afritada recipe with pineapple. I’m trying this right now, looking at the recipe in my laptop live with cooking 🙂
Jovita
June 20, 2014 at 7:15 pmHi, Divina! I’m glad you decided to try this recipe! I truly hope you enjoy this dish, not only enjoy eating it but enjoy making it! 😉
divina
June 20, 2014 at 7:19 pmDone cooking and eating it with rice. It is yummy indeed!
Joy
August 19, 2014 at 12:36 pmI cooked this for my sweetheart today and he absolutely loved it! Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe, Jovita 🙂
Jovita
August 19, 2014 at 5:11 pmHi, Joy! Thanks for reporting back, I appreciate it so much! It’s always great to know that someone loved my recipe. 🙂
lani
September 15, 2014 at 12:45 amThe American tomato puree is a but too tomato tasting. Asian puree sauce would be much better. Mine came out too thick.
Jovita
September 15, 2014 at 5:58 amSorry for that. You can add a little hot water to thin out the sauce. I’m not from America so I didn’t know that tomato puree can be so different in other countries… You could try another time to use canned tomatoes and puree them in a blender or food processor.
Kerry
September 29, 2014 at 4:23 pmI made this for my Filipino boyfriend last night and he kept saying things like “You even put the pineapple and bay leaves in it! And you put the little peas in!” He loved it, and the dish made him nostalgic for his childhood.
It may not be to everyone’s taste (that sweet/sour/tomato combination is unusual for Americans) it tasted totally authentic to him. Thank you for a great recipe!
Jovita
September 29, 2014 at 7:45 pmThanks for reporting back Kerry, I appreciate it so much! I’m so happy your boyfriend loved this and it reminded him his childhood – it’s like a compliment to me. 😉 Thanks!
Roxan
December 15, 2014 at 4:23 pmHello, Jovita! I wanted to say thank you for posting this recipe. It was so delicious and exactly what I needed on a cold, wintery day. I am Filipino and this dish definitely brought back memories with my family, especially my grandmother, and our hearty meals. The pineapple was such a great addition and gave the flavors a good complexity.
I am slowly introducing my boyfriend to Filipino food and cooked this for him for the first time. He loved it! We ran out of peas so we did without it and I used some leftover pancetta slices to cook with the garlic. I also added a few sprigs of thyme which were intended just for pictures but I was being so finnicky with doing it that it cooked in. The pineapple can I got was a bit too tart also, so I added a pinch of sugar to balance it out. All in all, this was a GREAT 5-star recipe! We had it again the next day for brunch! I threw the leftovers in some sauteed garlic and leftover rice and it became an afritada-flavored morning fried rice (sinangag, in Tagalog).
Salamat!
Jovita
December 15, 2014 at 6:08 pmThanks, Roxan! Your comment made my day! I am thrilled you and your boyfriend loved this recipe so much. By the way, it’s a good idea to add a little thyme. Maybe I will try it next time. Again, thanks for letting me know! 🙂
Marcy
February 25, 2015 at 11:02 pmHello Jovita. I made this for my husband who is half Filipino and he said it was just like his mom made!! I did use chicken thighs, and wound up increasing the cooking time by another 15-20 minutes. Do you think this can be made in a crock pot? I ask because my potatoes and carrots did not cook fully. I had to continue cooking them even after they were added back in. Thank you!
Jovita
February 26, 2015 at 2:10 pmHi Marcy, thanks for the comment. I’m so happy to hear your husband liked this stew! Actually, I don’t have a crock pot, it’s not a common thing in my country… Next time you can try to cut vegetables into smaller pieces so it doesn’t take too long to cook. Hope it helps! 😉
Melissa
June 8, 2015 at 9:50 pmWe ate this the other night and it was great! Thanks for the recipe! Could this be turned into a freezer meal? If so, at what stage would you freeze and how would you cook it once it has thawed?
Razena | Tantalisemytastebuds.com
July 5, 2016 at 9:03 pmLooks delicious and I love the addition of pineapple 🙂
Jovita
August 7, 2016 at 7:32 amIt really is delicious! One of my favorite dinners ever 🙂
Laura | Wandercooks
July 5, 2016 at 11:51 pmOh yum this looks amazing. We’ll have to cook it as a surprise for our Filipino housemate! Love your suggestion about cooking the potatoes separately to keep the flavours separate too. These little touches can make all the difference to the final dish. Can’t wait to try! 🙂
Jovita
August 7, 2016 at 7:34 amLaura, I am sure your housemate will love it (and so will you)! I am making this dish for few years now and still can’t get enough!
Claudia | Gourmet Project
July 6, 2016 at 6:50 amI love the frying of potatoes and carrots apart, it must give it a special texture. Must try asap!
Jovita
August 7, 2016 at 7:36 amThis little trick makes everything better 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
July 6, 2016 at 10:30 amI think I’ll be making this tonight!! Love all those flavors!
Jovita
August 7, 2016 at 7:37 amTell me how you liked it when you try it, Rebecca 😉
Bintu - Recipes From A Pantry
July 6, 2016 at 11:58 amThis stew looks really tasty, and interesting that you add pineapple. I will have to cook it soon!
Jovita
August 7, 2016 at 7:38 amI made this stew for so many people throughout these years and everyone loved it 😉
Sherri @ Watch Learn Eat
July 6, 2016 at 12:33 pmI’ve never tried this dish before, but it looks absolutely gorgeous! The colors are beautiful and the flavor combination sounds soooooo good! A must try! 🙂
Jovita
August 7, 2016 at 7:38 amYou HAVE to try it, Sherri, because this one is a winner! 🙂
Amy
July 6, 2016 at 12:46 pmThis looks excellent and could easily be made Whole 30 compliant (for those who are interested in that) by subbing coconut aminos for the soy sauce! I will have to try it as I am looking to do another round of Whole 30 soon!
Jovita
August 7, 2016 at 7:32 amAmy, I am glad that you liked it!
Maricel
July 27, 2016 at 8:18 pmI’m cooking it right now. It’s like we gonna have a delicious supper soon. Thanks for sharing this recipe 🙂
Jovita
July 28, 2016 at 8:20 amMaricel, you’re welcome! 🙂
Kiani
October 2, 2016 at 3:30 amWould it be the same if we cooked it with boneless skinless chicken ?
Jovita
November 26, 2016 at 2:09 pmI can’t see why it wouldn’t be, Kiani! Just change cooking time accordingly 😉
odeza mendoza
October 29, 2016 at 9:06 amI love it much…pineapple was more make delicious on it…its awesome delicious.
Jovita
November 26, 2016 at 12:23 pmI am so happy you loved it, Odeza! Thanks for the comment! 🙂
mjskitchen
March 6, 2017 at 6:16 pmThis looks fabulous!
Jovita
March 23, 2017 at 7:57 pmThanks!
Ma-an
December 6, 2018 at 12:22 amThank you so much for this legit recipe. I’ve tried to cook it yesterday and my family and visitors were so impressed of my “hidden cooking skills” … they said. Hahaha!
It really looks and tastes so delicious. Expectations met guaranteed!
Jovita
February 23, 2021 at 1:53 pmI’m so glad to hear it! 🙂
Larry
March 3, 2019 at 4:21 pmI have used Sweet Pickles and raisins instead of pineapple and added Vienna sausage as this is how my grandmother served it.
Jovita
March 27, 2019 at 4:55 pmThat’s interesting 🙂
Ces Abad
November 27, 2021 at 7:44 pmI just made this recipe today and it was so delicious ? Thank you for sharing the recipe ??
Jovita
December 15, 2021 at 12:20 pmThank you for coming back to leave a comment! I am glad you liked it 🙂