Pollo campero recipe or chicken wrapped in spicy avocado leaves is a popular Mexican dish that can be had at any restaurant near you.
However, making this dish yourself will take more time and effort, but the taste is well worth it. This dish is cheap, easy to make, and a lot of fun.
How To Make Pollo Campero Recipe?
Ingredients
- A whole chicken cut into small pieces (about 2lbs)
- 4 cups of water or stock for boiling the chicken
- 2 ripe avocados(ripe avocados are soft to touch)
- 1 handful of fresh cilantro chopped fine. OR 1/2 cup of dried cilantro that you’ll need to re-hydrate and chop fine.
- 2 tablespoons red onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped.
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt.
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons red chile flakes
For the Flour Dredge
- 2 cups (9 ounces; 255g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (3/4 ounce; 20g) seasoning salt, such as Lawry’s
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon ground white pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons MSG
To Fry
- 6 cups peanut oil OR other cooking oil
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped.
To Prepare
1. Pour 2 cups of the water or stock into a large pot and place the chicken in it (or add the chicken to a large bowl). Cover and let it sit at room temperature for 2-3 hours, or if desired, you can marinate the chicken overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. Mix the flour dredge ingredients in a bowl until thoroughly blended.
4. Whisk together the seasoning salt, peppers, and spices in a separate bowl. Rub this seasoning over your chicken pieces and make sure every piece is well coated with the spices mixture. Add more if needed (but less is better) to adjust the taste to your liking.
5. Pour the flour dredge onto a plate or cutting board and roll each piece of chicken in the flour, making sure all sides are well coated.
6. Put your chicken pieces in a large saucepan with 6 cups of oil and let it cook for about 45 minutes (or until golden brown).
7. Carefully remove the fried chicken pieces from the saucepan so as not to burn yourself, and place them on a cooling rack or baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain excess oil from the fried chicken.
8. Now, turn the heat off and cool down the pan with the fried chicken. Mix 4 cups of water or stock in a large pot with 1-2 teaspoons of kosher salt and 1 tablespoon of red chili flakes.
Please bring it to a boil and reduce the heat to simmer. Add in your cilantro, chopped onion, and garlic (the amount of garlic is a personal preference) for about 5 minutes or until nearly done (your volume should be about 1/4 cup).
9. Now, carefully pick up one piece of chicken and dunk it into the simmering broth. Repeat until all of your chicken pieces are covered in the simmering broth.
When you’re done, remove your fried chicken pieces from the pot and place them on a cooling rack for about 8 minutes to dry off excess oil. Serve them with salsa verde if desired.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with salsa verde or cucumber & tomato salsa.
5 Tips For The Perfect Pollo Campero Recipe
1. If you’re only making one batch of Pollo Campero, bring 4 cups of water or stock to a boil and add 2 pounds of chicken pieces. Cover then let it sit in the pot for about 2 hours.
2. It’s best to use larger chicken pieces because they will hold up better while cooking (you may need to adjust the amount of seasoning salt).
3. Do not use frozen chicken to make your sauce taste funny. The key to making this dish is the quality of the chicken, so make sure you have high-quality, fresh chicken.
4. If you’re planning on making several batches of Pollo Campero, then use simmering broth to keep the cilantro, garlic, and onion warm throughout the entire process.
5. Another trick to maximize your chicken pieces is to blow up the skin by pumping air into it before cooking. You don’t have to do this if you’re comfortable with taking the skin off after it cooks.
Where Is Pollo Campero Originally From?
The original recipe is a Pescado or fish wrapped in banana leaves. With the rise of Pollo Campero, the original recipe has become a crowd favorite, with many restaurants in Mexico and worldwide serving it.
Is Pollo Campero Better Than KFC?
I would have to say yes in terms of taste, Pollo Campero. I’d have to give the title to KFC in terms of grease because the chicken skin is not fried the same way as it is at Pollo Campero, making it less greasy and more flavorful. In addition, Pollo Campero has a special sauce that gives it an extra kick that KFC doesn’t have.
Is Pollo Campero Recipe Fried?
Yes, Pollo Campero is fried, but the frying process is different from KFC. Pollo Campero chicken is fried without batter or breading AFTER it has been boiled in water and marinated with spices. This gives the chicken a natural taste that’s not artificial or overly processed.
How Much Does One Serving Of Pollo Campero Cost?
Most restaurants that offer Pollo Campero give you just one piece of chicken for about $5 US dollars. It’s served with salsa verde (green sauce) and some vegetable tomato.
Conclusion
The recipe for Pollo campero is easy and quick to make. Unlike other fried chicken recipes with good quality chicken, you will enjoy this recipe. When you try this recipe, I’m sure you’ll like it as much as I do. Please come back and leave a comment or rating of your own experience at the end of the article.