Thursday, March 25, 2010

Dominican fried Chicken (Chicharrones de Pollo)

 I have arrived in the Dominican Republic and soon will take over as Chef at the Flor de Cabrera.
The Villa and grounds are beautiful beyond words. I hope to see many of my readers here as visitors.


 
I actually adapted this recipe when I was at The Country Club in New Orleans, but it is Dominican in origin so perfectly appropriate for the second day of my residence in Paradise. This recipe will feed a small party....but  it is so good you may want to double the marinade and chicken so that you have leftovers.


  • 2 whole chickens cut up. I like the hacked chicken for this...small pieces work best to absorb flavor and fry quickly.
  • Marinade:
  • 1 cup lime juice
  • 4 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 8 cloves garlic (minced)
  • Seasoned Flour Coating:
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons Spanish paprika 
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne or black pepper or more if you like.
  • 1 tablespoon salt (or to taste)
  • Peanut oil for frying 
  1. Combine marinade ingredients in a large plastic bowl or zipper bag. Add chicken and marinate for 3 hours or overnight. The longer the marinade the stronger the lime and garlic.
  2. Combine flour and seasonings in a separate plastic bowl or zipper bag.
  3. Coat the marinated chicken with the seasoned flour mixture and let rest on a try in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
  4. Place peanut oil for frying into a deep frying pan, or use a deep fryer. Heat the oil over medium-high heat to 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
  5. Fry chicken in batches, until golden brown outside and completely cooked inside (about 6 minutes per side for the dark meat, slightly less for the breast).
  6. Place chicken on a rack to drain and keep warm until ready to serve.