Chicken Ropa Vieja and Mangu

 

We had such a cozy dinner Wednesday night. It couldn’t have come at a better time. It’s been raining and unusually cold here in the Dallas–Fort Worth area for what feels like three months straight, so comfort food was definitely in order.

One of my favorite Cuban dishes is Ropa Vieja (pronounced ROPE-ah vee-YEH-ha), which literally translates to “old clothes”—a nod to the way the shredded meat resembles strips of fabric. Traditionally it’s made with flank steak that’s cooked until fork tender, then shredded. This time, though, I made it with chicken breasts, and honestly, it was every bit as delicious.

To go alongside it, I made Mangú, a Dominican dish of mashed green plantains. I was excited to learn that while green plantains are a carbohydrate, they have a relatively low glycemic index compared to many other starchy foods, likely because they’re rich in resistant starch and fiber. That means they’re digested more slowly and don’t cause the same rapid spike in blood sugar. I certainly wouldn’t eat them every day, but they’re a wonderful treat every now and then.

Since I wanted something a little lighter than the traditional fried plantains we often enjoy in Cuban cooking, I called my Dominican friend, Gaudy, and asked her how she makes her Mangú. I’m so glad I did—it paired beautifully with the ropa vieja.

Chicken Ropa Vieja

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1 small yellow onion, sliced
• 1 small red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 small green bell pepper, sliced
• 1 small yellow bell pepper, sliced (optional)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Juice of ½ lime
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Cook the chicken until tender, then shred with two forks.

While the chicken cooks, slice the onions and peppers into thin strips and mince the garlic.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, peppers, and garlic, and cook until softened, stirring occasionally.

Add the shredded chicken and stir to combine. Add the bay leaf, tomato sauce, white wine, cumin, lime juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir well.

The mixture should be nice and saucy. If it seems too thick, add a splash of chicken broth or water. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 20 minutes, allowing the flavors to come together.

Mangú

Ingredients

• 3 large green plantains
• 5 tablespoons butter
• About ⅓ cup reserved cooking water (or more as needed)
• Pinch of garlic powder
• Salt, to taste

Directions

I should mention that I didn’t follow Gaudy’s method exactly. She recommended sautéing an onion and mixing it into the mashed plantains, which is the traditional approach. Since the chicken already had plenty of onions, I skipped that step. She also told me authentic Mangú doesn’t usually include garlic, but I couldn’t resist adding just a pinch of garlic powder.

Peel the plantains and cut them into large chunks. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the plantains until they’re fork tender.

Drain the plantains, reserving a little of the cooking water. Transfer them to a bowl and mash with a potato masher, adding the butter a little at a time. If the mixture feels too thick, stir in a little of the reserved cooking water until smooth and creamy. Season with garlic powder and additional salt to taste.

Serve the Mangú alongside the Chicken Ropa Vieja and, if you’d like, sprinkle a little shredded cheese over the top.

This is the kind of meal that warms you from the inside out—perfect for a rainy evening and almost guaranteed to send you to bed happy.