Pollo con Tajadas (Pollo Chuco) Recipe
Honduran readers say this Pollo con Tajadas (AKA Pollo Chuco) tastes just like home, and one reader's wife called it better than most restaurants in Honduras. It's a full street-food platter: crispy fried chicken and green plantains piled with cabbage, chismol, pickled onions, and two sauces.
Servings 8
Calories 573kcal
Equipment
- Mason Jars
- Food Thermometer
Ingredients
Chicken Ingredients
- 2 tsp liquid chicken bouillon (or 2 chicken bouillon cubes, crumbled)
- 2 tsp ground cumin ground
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 3 lb chicken pieces bone-in skin-on (combination of drumsticks, thighs, and breasts)
- 4 tbsp yellow mustard
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- vegetable oil for frying
Pickled Onion Ingredients
- ½ red onion sliced
- ⅛ tsp oregano
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp pepper
- ½ cup distilled white vinegar
- 3 tbsp beet juice
Cabbage Ingredients
- ½ head green cabbage
Chismol Ingredients
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- ½ white onion diced
- 3 roma tomatoes diced
- 2 tbsp cilantro chopped
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 3 tbsp lemon juice Naranja Agria is the traditional choice if you can find it!
- salt & pepper to taste
Pink Sauce Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 tbsp granulated Sugar
- 1 tsp distilled white vinegar
- hot sauce to taste optional
Tomato Sauce Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp chismol already prepared
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- ½ cup chicken broth
Plantains
- 4 green plantains or green bananas
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
Chicken Instructions
- Mix the 2 tsp liquid chicken bouillon, 2 tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp black pepper, 2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp paprika, and 1 tsp garlic salt together in a small bowl.
- In a large bowl, add the 3 lb chicken pieces. Coat the chicken in 4 tbsp yellow mustard and use your hands to rub it around.
- Sprinkle the spice mix over the chicken, using your hands to make sure the chicken is coated.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for at least an hour as you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Pickled Onion Instructions
- Add the sliced ½ red onion into a mason jar along with the ⅛ tsp oregano, ¼ tsp salt, and ⅛ tsp pepper.
- Pour in the ½ cup distilled white vinegar and 3 tbsp beet juice. If your container is not completely filled, you can continue to add more vinegar until the liquid reaches the top.
- Put the lid on the container, keeping it airtight. Allow the mason jar to rest in the fridge for at least an hour as you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Cabbage Instructions
- Use a knife to slice the ½ head green cabbage very thinly, so that it looks thinner than the texture of coleslaw. Set aside.
Chismol Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients (1 green bell pepper, ½ white onion, 3 roma tomatoes, 2 tbsp cilantro, 1 tsp ground cumin, 3 tbsp lemon juice, salt & pepper to taste) in a medium bowl. Add salt or pepper to taste.
- Rest in the fridge as you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Pink Sauce Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients (½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup ketchup, 1 tbsp granulated Sugar, 1 tsp distilled white vinegar, hot sauce to taste) together in a small bowl and mix until fully combined. Add more salt or vinegar to taste.
- Rest in the fridge as you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Tomato Sauce Instructions
- In a small pot over medium heat, add the 3 Tbsp chismol. Cook over heat for a few minutes until softened.
- Add the ½ cup tomato sauce and ½ cup chicken broth, and turn the heat to high.
- Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and allow it to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and set aside.
Green Plantains/Bananas Instructions
- Remove the peels from the 4 green plantains or green bananas using instructions detailed in my Tostones Recipe.
- Cut the plantains into thin, diagonal slices.
Frying Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot with tall sides until it reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Put the 2 cups all purpose flour in a shallow bowl or pie tin.
- Remove the chicken from the fridge and dip the chicken in the flour, making sure the entire surface is covered in flour.
- Place the floured chicken on a cookie sheet and allow it to rest for about 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken into the vegetable oil, and fry the chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit (about 8-10 minutes). Once cooked, set the chicken on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Add the sliced plantains into the oil and fry until they turn yellow and crispy. Remove and drain on a paper towel lined plate.
Plating Instructions
- On a plate, layer the ingredients in the following order: fried plantains, shredded cabbage, fried chicken, tomato sauce, chismol, pink sauce, then pickled vegetables. Dig in and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Recipe edited and approved by Valerie Cooper from onehappyhousewife.com
- Beet Juice: Purely for color, so you can also omit and just use distilled white vinegar if you prefer.
- Green Plantains: Plantains can be found in most grocery stores. Make sure to find the green ones that aren't forming any spots yet. Green bananas are also an authentic choice, so pick whichever you can find. The cooking process stays the same, though you may need a few more bananas for an equal amount of tajadas.
- This will make enough for 4 platters. Each platter is 2 servings.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 573kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 977mg | Potassium: 801mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 663IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 4mg