This Chicken Veracruz (Pollo a la Veracruzana) recipe is perfect for when you want to enjoy Mexican flavors in a new and fun way! This classic dish is full of robust flavors in a light yet hearty sauce. Gluten free.
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This Recipe
This vibrant Mexican classic combines juicy chicken with a zesty tomato-based sauce, briny olives, tangy capers, and a hint of spice—it’s like a fiesta on your plate!
Originating from the coastal state of Veracruz in Mexico, this dish is a beautiful fusion of indigenous Mexican ingredients and Spanish influences. The taste is a blend of savory, tangy, and slightly spicy flavors in a light sauce.
It is a great dinner idea when you want something easy, fast, and with a lot of flavor!
Ingredients
Full recipe details and quantities can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Let’s talk a little about the ingredients you need to make this Mexican dish!
Chicken – Boneless, skinless breasts or thighs work great.
Tomatoes – I like to use canned diced tomatoes form the base of the sauce. You can swap these out for fresh tomatoes if preferred.
Yellow Onion
Garlic
Green Olives – Olives add a briny punch.
Capers – We will use both the capers and some caper juice. These little guys bring a tangy zing.
Jalapeño – Adjust to your heat preference using more, or even spicier peppers like serrano.
Dried Oregano
Ground Cayenne – Ground red pepper adds just a little heat and warmth to the sauce. This recipe is designed to be a mild heat, but you can make it as spicy as you want.
Fresh Cilantro – the perfect finishing touch for flavor and freshness!
Limes – squeeze these on top of the finished dish
I like to serve this with white rice which is a rather classic option. You could use a Mexican rice like our Hatch Green Chile Rice or even just serve it with tortillas.
Serving
Here are some ways you can serve this chicken veracruz recipe:
Rice: A simple white or Spanish rice soaks up the delicious sauce.
Vegetables: Steamed or roasted veggies complement the dish nicely.
Tortillas: Warm corn tortillas are perfect for scooping up every last bit
Kim’s Tips
Surprisingly, with all of the olives and capers, this dish is not overly briny or salty. If you want more of a punch, use more of those ingredients as you taste the sauce before cooking the chicken.
Avoid adding salt until after simmering the sauce when adjusting to taste, as the olives and capers are already salty.
Modifications and Substitutions
If you want more of the briny flavor, add more olives, capers, or juice from either one.
This can be served with full chicken pieces as shown, but would also be great with shredded chicken mixed into the sauce! A great way to use up rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken.
Increase the heat with more jalapenos, using hotter peppers like serrano, or adding ground red pepper (cayenne).
FAQs
Veracruz chicken is a Mexican dish of chicken cooked in a sauce made from tomatoes, olives, capers, and spices.
Veracruz sauce is typically not spicy and rather mild. You can increase the heat as desired by using more hot peppers and/or cayenne.
Chicken Veracruz is great served with white rice, roasted vegetables, and/or tortillas.
Veracruz is a city in Mexico where the dish originated. It is one of the first locations that the Spanish settled in, and combines the flavors and ingredients of both countries into one dish.
Chicken Veracruz (Pollo a la Veracruzana)
Equipment
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring Cups
- Knife
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts about 1.5 pounds, or 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ¼ cup olive oil
- salt
- black pepper
- ½ cup diced yellow onion
- 1 jalapeno pepper seeds and ribs removed, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (ground red pepper)
- 1 Tablespoon capers
- 1 Tablespoon caper juice from the jar
- 14.5 ounces canned diced tomatoes
- ½ cup green olives halved
- fresh cilantro for garnish and serving
- lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
- Sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides of each piece of chicken.
- Add 2 Tablespoons of the oil to the pan when hot. Add the chicken and cook until browned (does not need to be cooked through), about 2 minutes per side.
- Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Add the rest of the oil to the skillet. Add the onion and jalapeno, and cook until onion is translucent, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Add the garlic, dried oregano, and cayenne. Stir and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add in the diced tomatoes (including juice), capers, caper juice, and olives. Stir to combine.
- Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes.
- At this time, season to taste with more olives, capers or caper juice for a briny touch, more cayenne for heat, and/or salt. Add water if your sauce is getting too thick.
- When you are happy with your sauce, add the chicken back in and scoop a little sauce on top of each piece to coat.
- Cover the skillet and continue simmering until the chicken is cooked through, approximately 10 minutes.
- Add fresh cilantro and fresh lime wedges for serving. Serve with white rice, vegetables, or tortillas.
