You will fall in love with these perfectly crispy finger-licking Alitas de Pollo Fritas (Puerto Rican Fried Chicken Wings)! A true crowd pleaser! Ready in 30 minutes!
I think it’s safe to say, most of us love, LOVE, chicken wings! Whether fried or baked like this Alas de Pollo al Horno (Baked Chicken Wings) recipe, wings are just scrumptious! They’re not only delicious but there’s something about eating chicken wings that is truly satisfying.
We tend to indulge in them for gatherings, picnics, and barbecues and always order them at a restaurant anytime they’re on the menu. They’re truly a classic!
With all the countless ways to prepare them, Puerto Rican chicken wings is of course a favorite!
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Reasons to Love this Recipe
- Easy and Uncomplicated – season the wings, fry and serve!
- Crispy and Tender – Just like our chicharrones de pollo and our Pollo Chuco recipe, these too are perfectly crispy on the outside and deliciously tender and juicy on the inside. The perfect wing!
- Dip or No Dip – Use whatever dip you prefer for these wings or non at all. Below I have a few delicious suggestions.
Best Types of Oil for Deep Frying Chicken
- Vegetable Oil – vegetable oil is a neutral oil and has a high smoke point at 465 degrees Fahrenheit, making it perfect for frying chicken wings.
- Canola Oil – Having a high smoke point of 400 degrees Fahrenheit and neutral flavor, canola oil is excellent for frying chicken.
- Peanut Oil – is another high smoke point oil at 450 degrees Fahrenheit and helps prevent “flavor transfer.” This means it’s an excellent oil to use when reusing to fry other foods like fries, in other words your fries will not taste like chicken.
Sauces for Chicken
There are countless sauces and dips for chicken wings. From the truly classic to the more exotic, like our Guava Barbecue Sauce (Salsa Barbecue de Guayaba). Below are some other delicious ideas.
- Blue Cheese – a true classic!
- Ranch – another classic!
- Mayo Ketchup – a true Puerto Rican classic! Served practically everywhere in Puerto Rico. See my recipe card below for full recipe.
- Barbecue Sauce – use your favorite.
- Honey Mustard – classic!
- Teriyaki – add a little Asian twist to your wings.
- Creamy Garlic Aioli – another delicious favorite! See my recipe card below for full recipe.
Ingredients
- Chicken Wings – best to use party wings as they are smaller and perfect to make Puerto Rican Fried Chicken Wings!
- Adobo – to make authentic “alitas de pollo”, this is a key ingredient.
- Lemon Pepper and Paprika – both add nice flavor to this recipe. Lemon pepper adds a tangy flavor while the paprika adds a sweet balanced earthiness flavor. Delicious!
- Garlic Puree – love using garlic puree, but can use a tablespoon of garlic powder.
Substitutions and Variations
What if I Don’t Have Adobo Can I Use Another Spice?
- Use an all purpose seasoning like Lawry’s Seasoned Salt or simply season with salt and pepper, plus the other seasonings in this recipe.
What Other Seasonings Can I Add?
- Of course there are countless spices we can add to these wings but to keep these wings on the more Puerto Rican side, using ½ teaspoon of dried oregano is a perfect addition.
Can I Use this Recipe to Season Chicken Thighs and Drumsticks?
- Absolutely! Use this recipe for any Puerto Rican Fried Chicken recipe.
Instructions
Step 1: Add rinsed chicken wings to a large bowl and add the garlic puree, adobo, lemon pepper and paprika.
Step 2: Using your hands or a large spoon combine all the ingredients well into the chicken.
Step 3: Heat 2 cups of oil over medium high heat in a large skillet or medium size saucepan until oil is hot. Oil will heat up in about 3 to 4 minutes. CAREFULLY add a few wings at a time to the oil.
Step 4: Cook for about 8-10 minutes or until golden brown on one side. Flip the wings over and continue cooking until golden grown. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
What to Serve with Puerto Rican Fried Chicken Wings?
- If serving as an appetizer, serve with two or more dips, chopped celery sticks and carrot sticks on the side.
- To serve alitas for lunch, a salad and corn on the cob like this yummy recipe of Mexican Street Corn, are perfect ideas.
- For dinner, below are some delicious options:
- Puerto Rican Rice and Beans (Arroz con Habichuelas), Platanos Fritos (Sweet Plantains) and a side of avocado.
- Arroz Blanco (Puerto Rican White Rice) and Habichuelas Guisadas (Puerto Rican Stewed Beans) or Habichuelas Guisadas con Calabaza (Puerto Rican Stewed Beans with Pumpkin).
- Ensalada de Coditos con Jamon (Macaroni Salad with Ham) and Ensalada de Papa (Potato Salad).
Expert Cooking Tips
- Use New Oil – For the best crispy (crujiente) chicken wings, it is very important to use fresh oil. Using oil that has been used several times before, produces soggy oil infused skin versus crispy and delicious.
- Room Temperature – If you preseason wings to make a few hours later or at a later date, allow them to come to room temperature for 15 minutes before frying. Cold wings, lowers the heat of the oil and produces uneven cooking.
- Olive Oil – Do not use olive oil to fry the chicken wings as it does not have a high smoke point.
- Drain Excess Oil – Drain the wings on a plate lined with paper towels and for extra crispy wings, follow by laying them on a wire rack until ready to serve.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! The longer they marinate, the tastier they will be!
Yes! To make “Alitas de Pollo Horneadas” (Baked Chicken Wings), preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Once oven has heated through, add wings to a baking sheet and place in the middle rack for 20 minutes, flip over and cook for another 20 minutes. Note: Depending on the size of your wings will determine the total cook time. May be up to 1 hour.
Depending on the size of your wings, roughly from 11 to 16 wings.
Store leftovers in a container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. For best results and to keep skin crispy, reheat in the oven at 375 degrees F. for 10-12 minutes. Can also microwave for a few minutes until heated through but the chicken skin will not be crispy.
Other Chicken Dishes You Will Love
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📖 Recipe
Alitas de Pollo Fritas
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken wings rinsed under cool water
- 2 tablespoon garlic puree or paste
- 1 tablespoon adobo found in the Latin aisle
- ½ tablespoon lemon pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
Mayoketchup (Optional)
- 3 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 clove garlic grated or finely minced, can also use ½-1 teaspoon garlic puree or paste
Creamy Garlic Aioli (Optional)
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced
- 2½ tablespoon lemon juice
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add rinsed chicken wings to a large bowl and add the garlic puree, adobo, lemon pepper and paprika.
- Using your hands or a large spoon combine all the ingredients well into the chicken.
- Heat 2 cups of oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or medium-size saucepan until oil is heated through. The oil will heat up in about 3 to 4 minutes. CAREFULLY add a few wings at a time to the oil.
- Cook for about 8-10 minutes or until golden brown on one side. Flip the wings over and continue cooking until golden-grown.
- Drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Mayoketchup (Optional)
- Mix all the ingredients well in a small bowl and serve.
Creamy Garlic Aioli (Optional)
- Mix all the ingredients well in a small bowl, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.
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