Chef notes
There's fried chicken; then there's chicken chicharrón. What's the difference? A good chicken chicharrón is gifted with supremely crisp skin and is first rubbed with lime. After frying, it's brushed with a garlicky vinegar for a great pop of acidity.
Technique tip: before frying let chicken sit out for 20 from the fridge, and pat dry well before frying.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 boneless, skin-on chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 2 boneless, skin-on chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 lime, cut in half
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for frying
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup grated onion
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon ground chile piquín or chile de arbol
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups thinly sliced white onion
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped celery leaves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
For the brushing liquid:
Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl, cover and set aside.
For the chicken:
1.Rub all chicken pieces with lime halves. Rinse in cool water and pat dry with paper towels.
2.In a medium-size bowl, stir together vegetable oil, Worcestershire sauce, onion, garlic, salt and pepper.
3.Add chicken to bowl and coat pieces evenly. Let chicken marinate for 1 hour, covered, in the refrigerator.
4.Remove chicken bowl from refrigerator and let it sit for 20 minutes before frying.
5.Fill a large, deep skillet or fryer 1/3 of the way with vegetable oil and heat to 325°F.
6.Fry chicken, a few pieces at a time, until golden brown, about 12–15 minutes.
7.Remove chicken from oil with a slotted spoon, place on a rack, and immediately brush the fried chicken with vinegar-water brushing mixture.
For the chili-lime crema:
In a blender, combine sour cream, chiles, lime juice and lime zest. Blend until smooth.
For the smothered onions:
In a sauté pan, add butter and onions and sauté over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes, until the onions are translucent.
Squeeze lime juice over the onions and add vinegar, remove pan from heat. Finish with celery leaves, salt, and pepper.
To serve:
Serve the chicken chicharrón with smothered onions and chili-lime crema on the side.
