One Pot Sazon Chicken with Black Beans

This one-pot Sazon Chicken is packed with bold Latin-inspired flavors with fresh sofrito, sweet tomatoes and savory black beans. Everything simmers together in one pan, creating a flavor-packed rich sauce that's perfect for spooning over rice.

Jump to:

• About This Recipe
• 📋 Ingredients
• What is Sazon?
• What is Sofrito?
• 🍋 Substitutions and Variations
• ⏲️ Instructions
• 📍 Recipe Tips
• Serving Suggestions
• One Pot Sazon Chicken with Black Beans

About This Recipe

If there's one thing I love making, it's a really good one-pot meal. This one-pot Sazon Chicken with Black Beans is packed with Puerto Rican-inspired flavor and comes together entirely on the stovetop.

Skin-on chicken parts are generously seasoned with sazon, a vibrant Latin spice blend that gives the whole dish its signature deep red color and delicious savory flavor. After searing, the chicken is deeply golden, then simmers in a rich mixture of sofrito, black beans and tomatoes.

The combination of bold sazon, bright sofrito and tender black beans creates incredible flavor in every bite! Serve with cooked rice to soak up every bit of that rich, saucy goodness.

📋 Ingredients

• Chicken: Both skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks are used in the recipe. The dark meat stays juicy and the skin renders delicious fat that builds the base of the sauce.
• Sazon Seasoning: This seasoning blend is the base flavor of the dish and it adds savory depth and a beautiful deep red color. Be generous when seasoning the chicken, including getting under the skin.
• Tomatoes: A small can of chopped tomatoes with their juices helps create a thick, spoonable sauce. If tomatoes are in season, you can use two juicy fresh tomatoes instead.
• Black Beans: A simple can of black beans adds creaminess and makes the dish more substantial. I usually drain them, but you do not need to rinse unless you prefer to.
• Fresh Sofrito: A staple in Latin cuisine. Blend together green bell pepper, cilantro, onion and garlic into a smooth mixture. This brings a layer of brightness to the rich flavors.
• Chicken Stock: You will need enough to come about halfway up the chicken while it simmers.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

What is Sazon?

Sazon is a Latin spice blend that's especially used in Puerto Rican cooking and typically includes garlic powder, onion powder, coriander, cumin, oregano and achiote, which gives it that beautiful golden red color. It's savory and incredibly aromatic.

Sazon is one of my favorite spice blends and I use it on a number of things. It's a fantastic seasoning on fish tacos or slow cooked brisket and stirred into black beans.

It's easy to make at home, but you can also find Goya Sazon online and in Latin or international markets. But I highly recommend keeping a bottle on hand for easy dinners.

What is Sofrito?

Sofrito is a classic aromatic base used in many Latin and Caribbean dishes. Versions vary, but they typically include a blend of fresh herbs (either culantro or cilantro), peppers, onion and garlic.

For this recipe, I blend a mix of cilantro, green bell pepper, onion and garlic in a food processor until it's a smooth and pourable mixture. You can find jarred sofrito in some stores, but fresh truly makes a difference here.

🍋 Substitutions and Variations

• Different Cuts of Chicken: You can use bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, but they will need slightly more liquid and a bit more cooking time. Make sure the liquid comes about halfway up the chicken and allow an extra 10 to 15 minutes as needed.
  • Boneless, skinless thighs work well too. Since they do not render as much fat, add a little extra olive oil before searing. They may cook slightly faster, so keep an eye on them.
• Sazon: You can use store-bought sazon or make your own blend at home. If using packets, adjust salt accordingly since some brands contain added salt.
• Tomatoes: If in season, use about 2 medium-sized fresh ripe tomatoes and include all the juices.
• Sofrito Variations: If you only have red bell pepper, that works too. It will be slightly sweeter. The key components are pepper, onion, garlic and fresh herbs.

⏲️ Instructions

Serving Suggestions

Serve sazon chicken with cooked white rice to soak up every bit of the rich sauce. And sweet fried plantains make the perfect savory-sweet pairing.

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