Name: Spaghetti Sauce Chicken Afritada Stew
Total time: 1 hour
Yield: 6–8 servings
Ingredients: 1/4 cup vegetable oil; 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 2 medium onions, halved and sliced into thin half-moons; 4 pounds bone-in, skinless chicken pieces; 3 large potatoes, peeled, halved lengthwise, and quartered crosswise; 2 large carrots, coarsely chopped; 2 cups unsalted chicken broth or water; 1 (24-ounce) jar spaghetti sauce; 1/2 cup soy sauce; 2 teaspoons granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 2 small bay leaves; 2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced into strips; 1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips; 2 tablespoons fish sauce, for serving (optional); 6–8 cups cooked white rice, for serving

Porcelain green plate with a stewed chicken thigh and cubed potatoes and carrots next to a pile of white rice. Beside a...

Photo by Rowena Dumlao-Giardina

Afritada, a traditional chicken and vegetable stew, is a gateway dish to Filipino cuisine. It’s a great one to prepare when someone isn’t familiar with traditional Filipino food because the core ingredients are classic flavors in almost every place in the world. It opens up the eater’s mind to the possibility of what else Filipino food may have to offer. Spaghetti sauce, instead of fresh tomatoes or tomato sauce, is used in this recipe for convenience and taste.

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