Mexican Braised Chicken with Roasted Tomato Sauce
This Mexican-Style Braised Chicken is an easy one-pot dish that slowly simmers in roasted tomato sauce, peppers, and spices until tender and full of flavor. It makes its own rich gravy, perfect for serving over rice or spooning into tacos for a versatile and comforting meal.
Servings 6 servings
Calories: 408kcal
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or legs or skin-on bone-in chicken breast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 jalapeños fresh, sliced, seeds & pith removed for less heat
For the Braising Sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano Mexican oregano if available
- 1 ½ cups fire-roasted tomato sauce homemade or store-bought
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
Finishing
- 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 green bell pepper thinly sliced
- kosher alt and black pepper to taste
- 1 lime juiced, plus wedges for serving
- cilantro fresh, chopped, for garnish
Equipment
- Paper Towels
Instructions
- Sear the Chicken: Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear chicken skin-side down until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Set them aside.
- Build the Flavor Base: In the same pot, sauté the onions until softened, 6–8 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeños, cooking 1 minute more. Stir in cumin, paprika, coriander, and oregano until fragrant.
- Braise: Stir in roasted tomato sauce and chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Add bay leaf. Return chicken to the pot, nestling into the sauce. Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 35–45 minutes, until chicken is tender and pulls easily from the bone.
- Finish: Remove bay leaf. Add the bell peppers and simmer for another 5 minutes to soften. Stir in lime juice for brightness. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve with rice, warm tortillas, or spooned over beans.
Notes
- You won’t have tomato chunks, so the braise will be saucier and more cohesive.
- If your canned roasted tomato sauce tastes a bit tangy, add ½ teaspoon sugar or honey to balance.
- For a chunkier texture, you could toss in some extra bell pepper or even a handful of cherry tomatoes to cook down with the sauce.
- If the sauce ever feels too thick near the end, just splash in a little extra chicken broth to loosen it.
- If you want it even more silky, whisk in a small knob of butter right before serving it rounds out the roasted tomato flavor and gives the sauce a glossy finish.
Nutrition
Calories: 408kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 417mg | Potassium: 674mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1304IU | Vitamin C: 57mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 2mg
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