Selfmade Pollo Campero (Central American–Style Fried Hen) Recipe
Why It Works
- Shallow-frying the rooster ensures crispy, golden brown gadgets all through with out the amount of oil required for full deep frying.
- A small dose of MSG offers the rooster the savory style of the distinctive.
The ultimate time that my mom flew once more from El Savador, I greeted her at LAX with an excited “Hey, Ma!” She responded with an urgent, “El Pollo Campero is in that maleta (suitcase).”
Pollo Campero is a meals chain that originated in Guatemala, nonetheless has since develop right into a cultural icon all via Central America, along with my family’s native El Salvador. Their signature dish is delicious and succulent fried rooster that’s layered with spices, glorious when paired with tortillas, french fries, a dinner roll, or—a further relevant Central American side dish—yuca fries.
Our airport scene is form of the best way it goes every time, my mother arriving with a complete piece of carry-on baggage meticulously stuffed with containers of Pollo Campero fried rooster. So what if it isn’t crispy? It’s a fashion of dwelling that she’s tenderly transported once more to us inside the States. Even after the prolonged journey, the flavour continues to be mouthwateringly savory, with a pronounced pepperiness that tickles the nostril.
As of late, you’ll uncover Pollo Campero in quite a few cities inside the US, nonetheless with journey restricted—every domestically and internationally—it appeared extreme time to recreate this dish inside the comfort and safety of my very personal kitchen. It took me a while to recreate the dredging’s explicit spice profile, nonetheless this mannequin, which includes every white and black pepper, cumin, curry powder, chile pepper, and further, hits closest to my sense recollections. Merely as crucial: a small dose of MSG, required for its savory, umami kick. In reality chances are you’ll depart it out, if desired, nonetheless the rooster is not going to pretty fashion like dwelling with out it.
Selfmade Pollo Campero (Central American–Style Fried Hen) Recipe
Cook dinner dinner Mode
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To Brine the Hen:
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5 cups (1.2L) water
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1/3 cup (2 ounces; 57g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for desk salt use half as quite a bit by amount or the equivalent weight
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2 teaspoons freshly flooring black pepper
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2 teaspoons pink chile flakes
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10 bone-in rooster gadgets (about 4 kilos/1.8kg entire), ideally drumsticks and thighs
For the Flour Dredge:
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2 cups (9 ounces; 255g) all-purpose flour
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1 1/2 tablespoons (3/4 ounce; 20g) seasoning saltjust like Lawry’s
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1 tablespoon freshly flooring black pepper
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1 tablespoon flooring white pepper
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1 1/2 teaspoons flooring cumin
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1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
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1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
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1 1/2 teaspoons MSG
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3/4 teaspoon cayenne
To Fry:
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Vegetable or completely different neutral oilfor frying (about 4 cups/1L)
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To Brine the Hen: In a very large mixing bowl or vessel, stir collectively water, salt, black pepper, and pink chile flakes until salt is dissolved.
Extreme Eats / Tim Chin
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Add rooster, making certain it is submerged inside the brine. Cowl with plastic and refrigerate for as a minimum 4 and as a lot as 12 hours.
Extreme Eats / Tim Chin
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For the Flour Dredge: In a medium bowl, whisk collectively seasoning salt, flour, black pepper, white pepper, cumin, curry powder, paprika, MSG, and cayenne.
Extreme Eats / Tim Chin
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Match a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Working with one piece of rooster at a time, increase rooster from brine and dip inside the flour mixture to completely coat, using fingers to press the flour coating onto every nook and cranny.
Extreme Eats / Tim Chin
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Place the dredged rooster on rack and repeat with the remaining rooster gadgets.
Extreme Eats / Tim Chin
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To Fry: Line a second baking sheet with a wire rack for the finished fried rooster. Fill an enormous cast iron skillet with about 1 inch oil and heat to 350°F (175°C) over medium-high heat. Working in batches and being cautious to not overcrowd the skillet, fry rooster, turning as quickly as, until golden brown all through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center (nonetheless not touching the bone) registers 150°F (65°C) for rooster and 165°F (75°C) for darkish, about quarter-hour per batch (phrase that frying events can differ counting on the size and type of the rooster gadgets).
Extreme Eats / Tim Chin
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Swap fried rooster to the prepared rack and let cool as a minimum 5 minutes sooner than serving. Return oil to 350°F (175°C) and repeat with remaining rooster.
Extreme Eats / Tim Chin
Specific Gear
Two wire racks and rimmed baking sheets; large cast iron skillet
Make-Ahead and Storage
The rooster is most interesting eaten correct after making.
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