Vaca Frita de Pollo
There is no hiding the fact that I love Cuban and Nicaraguan dishes, you will see this theme throughout Zestes Recipes when I am left to do the cooking. Vaca Frita de Pollo is a classic spin on Vaca Frita (fried cow) and is one of our favorites. Simply translated, it’s fried cow with chicken instead of cow. You are going to love this Vaca Frita de Pollo I guaaaaarannnn-tee!
Vaca Frita de Pollo
Prep time: 20 min | Cook time: 30 min | Total Time: 50 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
1.5 lbs chicken breast
2 sweet onions, use one half of an onion is for poaching, the remainder of onions are sliced thin to mix with the shredded chicken
3-4 cups chicken broth
1 tsp salt
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp canola oil for frying
2 cups store bought Mojo marinade
Equipment
Medium Dutch oven or stock pot
Sauté pan, we use a nonstick pan for this one
Directions
1. Place your delightful chicken breasts in a Dutch oven, add the half onion, bay leaf, salt and then cover the chicken breasts in broth.
2. Put on high heat until the broth starts to boil, decrease to a simmer and cover. This should simmer for about 20 minutes; you want your chicken to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Remove from heat and place the poached chicken breasts on a cutting board to cool.
3. Once cooled, shred the chicken using two forks or by pulling it apart by hand.
4. Now take your shredded chicken and mix it with your sliced onions and Mojo marinade in a container you can put a lid on and shake. Let marinade 20 minutes shaking the container vigorously every 5-10 minutes to ensure the chicken is coated in Mojo (see my video for shaking examples).
5. In a sauté pan over medium-high heat add 1 tbsp of oil, once heated put a single layer of the chicken onion mix in the pan. The single layer part is important, don’t overcrowd the pan, this will take 2-3 batches. Let it cook for 5-6 minutes without touching while the moisture cooks out. This will provide a nice char to the chicken and caramelize the onions.
6. Flip the chicken and cook and additional 3 minutes or so. You want a nice char; this adds both texture and flavor.
Now the easy part – enjoy with a nice side of Cuban rice, beans and ensalada!
