Cuban Chicharrones Recipes

CUBAN CHICHARRONES DE POLLO

Steps:

• Cut up the chicken thighs into bite size pieces. Place in a bowl, plastic container with a lid or a large zip bag.
• To make the marinade, add the garlic, onion, lime juice and zest, and rum together in a blender or food processor and pulse until mixture is smooth. Pour the marinade over the chicken and toss the chicken pieces, making sure they're all covered in the marinade. Cover and/or seal tight and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to 8 hours.
• In a shallow plate whisk together the flour and seasonings.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or a deep frying pan.
• While the oil is heating up, dredge the chicken pieces through the flour mixture.
• Fry a few pieces of chicken at a time, so that they don't stick together. They should take about 5 minutes before they're cooked through. You might want to cut into a piece to make sure it's no longer pink inside. Continue frying in batches until done.
• Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with lime wedges.

CHICHARRONES DE POLLO

Steps:

• Whisk lime juice, rum, onion, and garlic together in a bowl. Place chicken strips in a shallow glass baking pan and pour marinade over top. Mix up chicken so all pieces are well coated. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.
• Beat egg and water together in a shallow bowl. Mix flour, 2 teaspoons salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper together in a second shallow bowl.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• While the oil is heating, remove chicken from the marinade and shake off excess. Discard the remaining marinade. Dip chicken in the egg wash, then dredge in the seasoned flour mixture until well coated.
• Fry chicken in small batches (don't overcrowd the skillet) in the hot oil until all sides are golden brown and the juices run clear, 8 to 10 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).