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Dominican pica pollo
Pica pollo: Dominican chopped fried chicken
Pica pollo joints line the streets of Santo Domingo and the Dominican neighbourhoods of Washington Heights, serving small, bone-in pieces of chicken in a thin, very crunchy coat with a pile of tostones or fried green plantain and ketchup. The chicken is chopped small, marinated in lime, garlic and oregano, then dredged in seasoned flour and fried. The common mistake is frying the oil too hot, which browns the crust before the chicken near the bone is cooked. Chef's tip: let the floured chicken sit for 10 minutes before frying so the coating hydrates and sticks; it gives a crackly crust that doesn't fall off.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 3 ⅓ lb chicken pieces on the bonechopped into 6 cm pieces, skin on
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 5 cloves garliccrushed
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp salt
For the coating
- 7 oz plain flour
- 1 ¾ oz cornflour
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 6 ¼ cups vegetable oilfor frying
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Toss 3 ⅓ lb chicken pieces on the bone with 3 tbsp lime juice, 5 cloves garlic, 2 tsp dried oregano and 2 tsp salt. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
60 minStep 2: Mix 7 oz plain flour, 1 ¾ oz cornflour, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper in a large bowl. Toss the chicken pieces in it, pressing so they are fully coated. Rest on a rack for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 3: Heat 6 ¼ cups vegetable oil in a deep, heavy pan to 325°F. Fry the chicken in batches without crowding for 12–14 minutes, turning, until deep golden and crisp and the meat reaches 165°F near the bone with clear juices.
28 minStep 4: Drain on a rack over kitchen paper and keep warm in a low oven while you fry the rest. Serve hot with tostones and lime wedges. Let the oil cool fully before moving it.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 31 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does dominican pica pollo take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of lime juice?
- Lemon juice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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