Dominican Fried Chicken (Chicharrones de Pollo)

Dominican Fried Chicken (Chicharrones de Pollo)

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 16 mins
Marinate: 30 mins
Total: 66 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Yield: 20 to 24 pieces

If you like fried chicken, try chicharrones de pollo, the Dominican version of fried chicken. It's one of those iconic Caribbean fusion dishes with a Spanish influence. You can use either boneless chicken breast or thighs in this recipe. If you are using chicken breasts, avoid overcooking them because they can become dry. Chicken thighs are denser with more fat, so they tend to be juicier and more flavorful than chicken breasts.

The chicken is marinated in lime and garlic, then coated in seasoned flour and fried. For a well-balanced, satisfying meal, serve the fried chicken strips with traditional rice and beans or potato wedges. Or serve the fried chicken as an appetizer with sofrito or aioli.

"Preparation was fast and easy, and the chicken breast strips cooked quickly. The tangy, citrusy flavor from the garlicky lime juice and Worcestershire sauce marinade stood out. The chicken strips would be excellent served with aioli or a ranch-style dressing or dip." —Diana Rattray

Dominican Fried Chicken In a Serving Bowl
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

  • 2 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs, uniformly cut into strips

For the Marinade:

  • 1 cup lime juice

  • 4 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced

For the Seasoned Flour Coating:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 2 teaspoons Spanish paprika

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper, or to taste

  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

  • Vegetable oil, for frying

Steps to Make It

You will be first marinating the chicken, then coating it in flour and frying it. This is broken down into steps.

Make the Marinade

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    marinade ingredients

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  2. In a large nonreactive mixing bowl or plastic zip-top bag, combine lime juice, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and minced garlic.

    combine lime juice, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and minced garlic in a bowl

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  3. Add the chicken strips and allow to marinate for 30 minutes or up to 3 hours.

    chicken in a bowl with marinade

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Make the Seasoned Flour Coating

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    seasoned flour ingredients

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  2. In a separate mixing bowl or plastic zip-top bag, combine the flour, paprika, pepper, and salt and mix well.

    combine the flour, paprika, pepper, and salt in a bowl

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  3. Remove the chicken from the marinade. Discard the leftover marinade. Pat the chicken pieces with paper towels. You want them moist enough for the coating to stick, but not so wet that it slides off.

    pat chicken dry

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  4. Coat the marinated chicken well with the seasoned flour mixture.

    chicken in a seasoned flour mixture

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Fry the Chicken

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    fried chicken ingredients

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  2. Place the vegetable oil for frying into a deep-sided frying pan, or use a deep fryer if you have one. Heat the oil over medium-high heat to 360 F (182 C). 

    Place the vegetable oil for frying into a deep-sided frying pan

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  3. Don't overheat or under-heat the oil. You want the chicken to start cooking when you place it in the oil, but not spatter hot oil.

    chicken frying in a pot of oil

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  4. Don't crowd the pan with the chicken. Fry it in batches until golden brown outside and completely cooked inside (about 2 minutes per side). The chicken should not be pink in the middle. The Food and Drug Administration recommends 165 F (74 C).

    chicken frying in a pot of oil

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  5. Place chicken on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb the oil. Keep the chicken warm until you are ready to serve it.

    Dominican Fried Chicken (Chicharrones de Pollo)

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Tips

  • The longer the chicken marinates, the stronger the lime taste will be. The maximum marination time is no more than three hours. Beyond that time the chicken is still safe to cook but it can become mushy due to the acid in the marinade.
  • Do not use the leftover marinade for any purpose unless you boil it for 2 to 3 minutes. It will contain bacteria from the chicken that can result in food poisoning or infection unless killed by boiling.
  • Make sure the chicken strips are of a uniform size, so they will all cook in the same amount of time.
  • When frying the chicken, don't overcrowd the pan. The oil will cool down, and the chicken will not cook properly and will absorb oil, with the resulting chicken being greasy.

How to Store

  • Refrigerate leftover fried chicken strips in a covered container within 2 hours and eat within 3 to four days.
  • To freeze the fried chicken strips, place them in a zip-close freezer bag; label the bag with the name and date, and freeze the chicken strips for up to three to four months.
  • The best way to reheat leftover cold fried chicken strips is in the oven. About 15 minutes before you plan to reheat the chicken, remove it from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 400 F. Arrange the chicken strips on a baking sheet and cook them for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until hot. The minimum safe temperature for cooked leftovers is 165 F.
  • To reheat frozen fried chicken strips, arrange the frozen pieces on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 375 F oven for about 20 to 25 minutes, until hot.

How Many Limes Do I Need for 1 Cup of Juice?

Depending on the size, 1 lime will yield between 2 and 3 tablespoons of juice. You will need about 6 to 8 limes for 1 cup of juice.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
564 Calories
29g Fat
29g Carbs
45g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 564
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 29g 37%
Saturated Fat 4g 22%
Cholesterol 126mg 42%
Sodium 868mg 38%
Total Carbohydrate 29g 10%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 45g
Vitamin C 10mg 51%
Calcium 43mg 3%
Iron 4mg 21%
Potassium 506mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)