Our Cuban chicken soup recipe is a festive take on a Cuban chicken stew. The Cuban chicken stew recipe is super easy to make in your Instant Pot. Filled with deep, intense flavors including sweet potatoes, green olives, capers, and raisins, this festive and fun dish is a WHOLE LOTTA YUM way to up your chicken soup game and inspire your family to try something new.
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Cuban Chicken Stew Recipe
This Cuban chicken stew rcipe is a variation of a recipe from my late father. He was an avid cook and we were lucky to be the recipient of his frequent meals since he lived in the same town as us.
To make our Cuban chicken soup recipe from dad's original, I added sweet potato to thicken the dish and used canned tomatoes instead of the salsa he used to include.
With chicken, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, olives, and raisins, this Cuban chicken soup recipe is a meal by itself! Serve it as-is, over cauliflower rice, with a side salad, or alongside some breadsticks.
Why You'll Love This
- The use of bold flavors like salsa, green olives, raisins, and capers add unique interest to every bite.
- Using chicken thighs instead of breasts means more flavorful meat.
- Cuban chicken stew is paleo-friendly, gluten-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free. It's also super easy to adapt to low-carb (adaptations are listed below).
- Cooking the Cuban chicken soup in an instant pot gives you that slow-cooked taste without waiting all day for the slowcooker!
- No Instant Pot? No worries! We are including stovetop instructions as well so you can enjoy a pot of Cuban chicken soup in your home.
If you're on the lookout for more flavorful yet easy chicken recipes, then you'll want to try our popular green chili chicken casserole, Chicken Zoodle Soup, or fajita chicken bake.
On Keto? Grab our FREE keto foods list here OR Snag our Keto Binder HERE
Ingredient Notes
Cuban chicken soup does require quite a few ingredients, but it's worth it! When all is said and done, and you have allowed your pressure cooker to marry these flavors together, you will have a robust pot of Cuban chicken stew that will have your family running to the kitchen table.
- chicken thighs - skinless and boneless
- sea salt
- ground black pepper
- cumin
- olive oil
- onion - chopped
- bell pepper - chopped
- sweet potato - peeled and cut into 1 ½" cubes
- garlic cloves
- dried oregano
- diced tomatoes
- sliced green olives with pimientos
- capers - drained
- raisins
- chicken broth
- fresh cilantro - chopped
- optional - red wine or balsamic vinegar
Variations
Chicken thighs - you can use cubed chicken breast as well.
Equipment
A Pressure Cooker - This is the Instant Pot model that we used.
Diet Adaptations
Low-carb/Keto - To make the soup lower in carbs to comply with low-carb or keto lifestyles, omit the sweet potato and substitute cauliflower, radishes, or other low-carb veggies. It'll be a thinner consistency since the potato breaks down and helps to thicken the soup.
Step by Step Instructions
Once you have all of your ingredients prepped, this Cuban chicken stew only takes just 10-minutes to pressure cook!
Prep Ingredients
Trim any big fat pieces from the chicken.
Cut the boneless skinless chicken thighs into thirds if they're large chicken thighs, and cut into half if they're smaller chicken thighs.
Put the chicken into a medium-sized bowl and add salt, pepper, and cumin. Stir the seasoning into the chicken.
Prep your vegetables. Chop the sweet potatoes into cubes. Slice the bell pepper. Mince the garlic.
Assemble
Turn the pressure cooker to Saute and allow it to heat.
Add the olive oil.
Saute the chopped onion and bell pepper until soft, about 4-5 minutes. Turn the saute function off.
Add the cubed sweet potato to the pot.
Layer the chicken pieces over the sweet potatoes.
Add the remaining ingredients (except the cilantro) to the pot which includes the canned tomatoes, chicken broth, sliced olives, capers, raisins, garlic, salt, pepper, and oregano.
Pressure Cook
Cover and check your vent. Make sure it is set to sealing.
Set your Instant Pot to pressure cook high for 10 minutes.
Natural release for 10 minutes before pressing the valve to quick release any remaining pressure.
Remove the lid and add in the 2 tablespoon of red wine or balsamic vinegar (optional, but super flavorful!).
Serve over cauliflower rice to keep the entire meal paleo, or serve over your favorite white or brown rice.
Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro after adding the stew to each bowl. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- The Cuban chicken soup recipe will come together quickly, so be sure to prep all of your ingredients before you saute the onion and pepper.
- When sauteing the onion and pepper only cook for 3-4 minutes. You are not looking to caramelize the vegetables, only begin softening them and releasing their flavors.
- Allow the Cuban chicken soup recipe to naturally release for 10 minutes before you quick release the remaining pressure.
- During the quick release, ensure the valve is pointing away from you.
Common Questions
We recommend serving the soup as-is or over either cauliflower rice or white or brown rice. However, a side salad or breadsticks would also pair nicely.
Store any leftover Cuban chicken stew in the fridge in a covered container for 3-4 days.
Yes, you can freeze your Cuban chicken stew. Allow the fully cooked to soup completely then place in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost leftovers then warm and serve.
No Instant Pot? No problem! You can make Cuban chicken soup on the stovetop! Simply saute onions and peppers in a large pot or dutch oven, then add the remaining ingredients (except cilantro). Bring the soup to a boil then simmer for 45 minutes. Add optional wine or balsamic vinegar. Serve with a garnish of cilantro.
More Soup Recipes
Are you looking for more soup recipes?
- Instant Pot Pizza Soup
- Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Instant Pot Hot and Sour Soup
- Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup
Come connect with us on Instagram! Be sure to tag us (wholelotta.yum) when you make a recipe. You can also find us on Facebook, and Pinterest.
Instant Pot Chicken Stew (Cuban Chicken Stew)
Instant pot chicken stew that's Cuban inspired is a delicious blend of sweet and zesty flavors like green olives, capers, sweet potatoes, and raisins.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1 ½" cubes
- 4 teaspoon garlic cloves
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
- ⅓ cup sliced green olives, with pimientos
- 2 tablespoon capers, drained
- ¼ cup raisins
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup+ fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoon red wine or balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Trim any big fat pieces from the chicken.
- Cut the boneless skinless chicken thighs into thirds if they're large chicken thighs, and cut into half if they're smaller chicken thighs. Put the chicken into a medium-sized bowl and add the salt, pepper, and cumin. Stir the seasoning into the chicken.
- Turn the pressure cooker to Saute, and let it heat up. Add the olive oil and the onion. Saute the chopped onion until it's starting to soften, about 4-5 minutes. Turn the saute function off.
- Add the cubed sweet potato to the pot.
- Layer the chicken pieces over the sweet potatoes.
- Add the remaining ingredients (except the cilantro) to the pot which includes the canned tomatoes, salt, pepper, dried oregano, minced garlic, chicken broth, sliced olives, capers, and raisins.
- Set on high and pressure cook for 10 minutes. Natural release for 10 minutes before pressing the valve and opening the lid.
- Add the red wine or balsamic vinegar, if desired (optional). Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.
- Serve over cauliflower rice to keep the entire meal Whole30/paleo, or serve over your favorite white or brown rice.
Notes
Cubed chicken breast can be used instead of chicken thighs.
The soup freezes well and can be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag.
You can make Cuban chicken soup on the stovetop! Simply saute onions and peppers in a large pot or dutch oven, then add the remaining ingredients (except cilantro). Bring the soup to a boil then simmer for 45 minutes. Add optional wine or balsamic vinegar. Serve with a garnish of cilantro.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 301Total Fat 13gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 10gCholesterol 139mgSodium 860mgCarbohydrates 18gFiber 3gSugar 9gProtein 30g
Stephanie says
Hi,
I made this recipe tonight for my Cuban born boyfriend. We both loved it! I followed your recipe as is. It was very easy and full of flavor. The sweet potatoes fell apart though. I’m also kind of new at the instant pot, so any tips to keep potatoes from getting too soft might help. The potatoes became part of the broth which tasted great 😊
WholeLottaYum says
I'm so glad you both loved it, Stephanie! I would make the sweet potato cubes larger, say 1 1/2" in size. They'll still be soft but they won't fall apart as part of the broth.
Martina says
I am eating this soup right now and had to leave a review because it is amazing! I followed the recipe to a T. Thank you for a great recipe!
Karen Bullard says
How big is the can of tomatoes! I'm going to make this today but I guess I'll assume it's the smaller type - 14 oz.
WholeLottaYum says
yes, sorry about that! The post has been updated.