One Pot Sazon Chicken with Black Beans

One pot sazon chicken is a bold weeknight dinner and layered with black beans, tomatoes and sofrito.

5 from 11 votes

One Pot Sazon Chicken with black beans and sofrito is a bold, Puerto Rican-inspired dinner simmered in one pan and perfect over rice.

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Total Time55

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Latin

Keyword: one pot chicken with black beans, one pot sazon chicken, sazon chicken with black beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 400kcal

Author: Samantha Ferraro

Equipment

Ingredients

Chicken

2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces mix of thighs and drumsticks
2 tablespoons sazon seasoning
Kosher salt and black pepper as needed
1 tablespoon olive oil

Sofrito

1 green bell pepper roughly chopped
½ white or yellow onion
3-4 garlic cloves
1 small bunch cilantro stems and leaves

Sauce

2 tablespoons tomato paste
15 ounce can chopped tomatoes with juices
15 ounce can black beans, drained
1 cup chicken stock plus more as needed
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

For Serving

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Cooked rice for serving

Instructions

Make the Sofrito. Add the green bell pepper, onion, garlic cloves and cilantro to a food processor or high-speed blender. Blend until a smooth, slightly textured sauce forms. Measure out ½ to ¾ cup for the recipe and reserve any extra for later use.
Season the Chicken. Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels. Season all sides generously with sazon, salt and black pepper, including underneath the skin.
Sear the Chicken. Heat a wide skillet or braising pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Place the chicken skin side down and sear for 5 to 6 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and the fat has rendered. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate.
Cook the Tomato Paste. In the same pan, add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring to slightly caramelize and deepen the flavor.
Cook the Sofrito. Add ½ to ¾ cup of the prepared sofrito to the pan. Stir and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, allowing the vegetables to soften and the flavors to concentrate.
Build the Sauce. Stir in the chopped tomatoes with their juices, black beans and 1 cup chicken stock. Season lightly with salt and pepper. The liquid should come about halfway up the chicken once it is returned to the pan. Add a little more stock if needed.
Simmer the Chicken. Nestle the chicken back into the pan, skin side up, keeping the skin above the sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cover with the lid slightly ajar and cook for 28 to 30 minutes.
Reduce the Sauce. Remove the lid completely and continue simmering for another 10 minutes to slightly reduce and thicken the sauce. The chicken should be fully cooked and tender.
Garnish and Serve. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and serve hot with white rice.

Notes

Dry the Chicken Well: Pat the chicken completely dry before seasoning to ensure better browning and crisp skin.
Season Generously: Season all sides and underneath the skin for the most flavorful result.
Sear Skin Side Down First: Start the chicken skin side down over medium heat to properly render the fat and build flavor in the pan.
Simmer Partially Covered: Cook with the lid slightly ajar to allow gentle reduction while keeping the chicken tender.
Save Extra Sofrito: Freeze any leftover sofrito in an ice cube tray for future soups, stews or rice dishes

Nutrition