Chicharrones de Pollo are crispy Puerto Rican chicken pieces marinated in flavorful spices and fried until golden, juicy and tender. Perfect with mofongo, rice or as an appetizer.
If there’s one thing that won’t stay on a plate for long around here it’s chicharrones de pollo. Just like our chicharrones de cerdo are impossible to resist, so are these crispy, juicy pieces of fried chicken. In Puerto Rico, you find these being cooked over an open fire at roadside stands and typically served with a side of french fries, tostones, or on top of mofongo smothered in a delicious garlic mojo.
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Do You Flour the Chicken?
In Puerto Rico you can find chicharrones de pollo prepared both ways… with a light flour coating and without a coating at all. Really, it just depends on your preference and how you will serve them.
I personally like to coat the chicken if I’m serving them as an appetizer or as part of a larger meal.
But if I’m making these to serve on top of mofongo, I will not do the flour coating and that’s because when you top the chicken with the garlic mojo, the coating gets soggy and slips right off plus it’s authentically the way we do it in Puerto Rico.
Ingredients You Will Need:
- chicken thighs
- vinegar
- salt
Marinade for Chicken
- garlic cloves
- oregano
- sazon with annatto
- adobo seasoning
- cumin
- oil
- lime
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements and instructions.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Using a knife and a mallet, pound each piece into 2-3 smaller pieces.
Make Vinegar Brine:
Step 2: Add vinegar, water, and salt to a medium bowl and stir to combine. Add chicken and soak for 30 minutes (Image 1). This will help clean and tenderize chicken.
Make Marinade Paste:
Step 3: In a mini chopper or food processor, combine garlic, oregano, adobo, cumin, lime juice, sazon, and oil until a coarse paste forms (Image 2).
Step 4: Drain chicken and rinse under cool water to remove the brine. Coat chicken pieces in garlic marinade (Image 3), cover and place in the refrigerator and allow to marinate for 30 minutes.
Coat Chicken:
Step 5: Add flour, garlic powder, and onion powder to a medium size bowl and stir to combine. Coat each piece of chicken in the flour mixture (Image 4) and set aside until ready to fry.
Fry Chicken:
Step 6: Add 1-2 inches of vegetable oil to a large skillet or saucepan and heat to medium heat. You’ll know the oil is hot enough when you drop a pinch of flour into the oil and it sizzles.
Step 7: Carefully add the chicken (careful it will splatter) and cook until golden and crispy and cooked through, about 10 minutes, flipping halfway. Do not crowd the pan as you will lower the oil temperature and the chicken will steam instead of fry. Cook the pieces in batches. Drain chicken on paper towels and fry the remaining pieces.
Make Sauces:
Garlic Mojo: Crush garlic then add chopped scallions and oil (Image 5). Mix to combine.
Mayoketchup: Crush garlic with a mortar and pestle. Add garlic to a bowl with ketchup, mayo, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined and smooth. *Alternatively, you can finely mince garlic by hand or use a chopper (Image 6).
Serving Suggestions
You can serve chicken chicharrones with practically anything even by themselves with a side of mayoketchup and a simple garlic mojo sauce. Below are a few authentic sides we serve these with in Puerto Rico.
- arroz blanco (Puerto Rican white rice), or yellow rice with corn and a side of habichuelas guisadas (Puerto Rican stewed beans) is perfect if you’re looking to serve chicharrones as a full meal
- yuca frita (fried cassava)
- on top of mofongo (plantain garlic mash) smothered with garlic mojo
- platanos fritos (fried ripe plantains)
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes, but they are best fried fresh. If you need to prepare them in advance, reheat in the oven or your air fryer to help bring back the crispiness.
Yes, you can but use boneless chicken thighs.
Make sure your oil is hot enough and that you are not overcrowding the pan.
Yes, for a healtier option, you can air fry. Preheat your air fryer at 400°F for 5-10 minutes. Add the chicken pieces, making sure not to overcrowd. Cook for 20-25 minutes, depending on your air fryer. If the chicken skin is not crispy enough, simply give it a few more minutes to crisp. Make sure not to burn or overcook. Chicken is fully cooked when internal temperature is 165°F and juices run clear.
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📖 Recipe
Chicharrones de Pollo
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken thighs
- ¼ cup vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon salt
Marinade for Chicken
- 6 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 teaspoon dry oregano
- 1 packet sazon with annatto found in the Latin section of supermarket
- ½ tablespoon adobo seasoning found in the Latin section of supermarket
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 lime juiced
To Coat Chicken
- 1½ cups flour
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
Frying
- vegetable or corn oil for frying
Mayoketchup
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and crushed with a mortar and pestle or finely minced with a knife
- salt and pepper to taste
Garlic Mojo
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and crushed with a mortar and pestle or finely minced with a knife
- 1 scallion rinsed and chopped
Instructions
Prepare the Chicken
- Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Using a knife and a mallet, pound each piece into 2-3 smaller pieces.
Make Vinegar Brine
- Add vinegar, water, and salt to a medium bowl and stir to combine. Add chicken and soak for 30 minutes. This will help clean and tenderize chicken.
Prepare Marinade
- In a mini chopper or food processor, combine garlic, oregano, adobo, cumin, lime juice, sazon, and oil until a coarse paste forms.
Marinate
- Drain chicken and rinse under cool water to remove the brine. Coat chicken pieces in garlic marinade, cover and place in the refrigerator. Marinate for 30 minutes or overnight.
Coat Chicken
- Add flour, garlic powder, and onion powder to a medium size bowl and stir to combine. Coat each piece of chicken in the flour mixture and set aside until ready to fry.
Fry Chicken
- Add 1-2 inches of vegetable oil to a large skillet or saucepan and heat to medium heat. You'll know the oil is hot enough when you drop a pinch of flour into the oil and it sizzles.Carefully add the chicken (careful it can splatter) and cook until golden, crispy and cooked through, about 10 minutes, flipping halfway. Drain chicken on paper towels and fry the remaining chicken.Do not crowd the pan as you will lower the oil temperature and the chicken will steam instead of fry. Cook the pieces in batches.
Make Sauces
- Garlic Aioli: Crush garlic then add chopped scallions and oil. Mix to combine.
- Mayo Ketchup: Crush garlic with a mortar and pestle. Add garlic to a bowl with ketchup, mayo, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined and smooth. *Alternatively, you can finely mince garlic by hand or use a chopper.
- Once all chicken pieces are done, serve alongside the garlic aioli and mayoketchup.
Notes
- Preheat your air fryer at 400°F for 5-10 minutes. Add the chicken pieces, making sure not to overcrowd. Cook for 20-25 minutes, depending on your air fryer. If the chicken skin is not crispy enough, simply give it a few more minutes to crisp. Make sure not to burn or overcook. Chicken is fully cooked when internal temperature is 165°F and juices run clear.
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