Vegan Chicharrones de Pollo

Here’s another Veganized Puerto Rican for you: Vegan Chicharrones de Pollo. Jackfruit marinated in a savory seasoning, and coated with protein-rich batter, resulting in a crispy golden perfection.

Vegan | Gluten-free | Soy-free

Welcome to March! This months topic is… drumroll, please… Plant-based Protein!

And before you say “SNOOZE FEST”, protein is still, believe it or not, a very controversial topic in 2019. Why you may ask? Well because apparently Google does not exist, and most people still believe that the human suggested protein intake is a billion grams per day when in reality it’s just about 56g. Also, there’s a lot of misinformation out there about where you can find plant-based protein and the different types, as part of this months topic.

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Let’s get on to this recipe!

Here’s another Veganized Puerto Rican: Vegan Chicharrones de Pollo (improper translation: chicken chicharrones???) HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE??? We’ll get into that in a sec.

I have come to the conclusion that the definition of comfort food is vegan junk food; fried, full of flour, and salty! All within balance 😉 Also, that jackfruit is the BOMB for veganizing Puerto Rican food, which is why it has become a staple in my kitchen.

Here’s another Veganized Puerto Rican for you: Vegan Chicharrones de Pollo. But, what are Chicharrones de Pollo? Basically, crispy fried chicken bites, that are very popular in Puerto Rico, you can find them anywhere where traditional food is served. So how do we veganized this? With Jackfruit of course!

Just like in my Vegan Bacalaitos recipe, it’s all about the marinade; this is what’s going to give it the “chicken” flavor. And the crispness comes from the batter. At the beginning of the post I was talking about types of vegan protein, so I decided to incorporate Chickpea flour to the batter as a form of adding protein to this recipe! Also, Chickpea flour combined with gluten-free bread crumbs makes this recipe completely gluten-free.

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411 on Chickpea Flour

Chickpea flour, also known as garbanzo bean flour or besan, is made from ground, dried chickpeas. Unlike all-purpose flour, chickpea flour is high in protein, fiber and micronutrients, while being low in carbohydrates and calories. Half a cup of chickpea flour can contain 11 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and nutrients like iron, magnesium, and zinc.

For more information visit: Chatelaine

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These go well with tons of sauces: hot sauce, bbq sauce, mustard, ketchup, you name it! But I decided to go the traditional route and make mayoketchup, using vegan mayo of course. Also, pair these up with some fried plantains, tostones de pana, or even better mofongo!

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Notes:

• If you don’t have a gluten-free restriction, or can’t find gluten-free panko crumbs, you can use regular vegan-friendly panko. Works just as well.
• Also, you can use regular flour, but you’ll take away the protein portion of the recipe.
• You can make this recipe two ways: fried or baked. I went ahead and tried both of these methods out for you, and to be honest, the fried version is so much better and crispy.

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Vegan Chicharrones de Pollo

Rating: 4.3/5

( 10 voted )

Serves: 1-2 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 40 minutes 40 minutes Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 2 cans young green jackfruit in brine, rinsed
• vegetable oil, for frying

Seasoning:

• ½ tbsp smoked paprika
• ½ tbsp onion powder
• ½ tbsp garlic powder
• ½ tbsp parsley
• ½ tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp turmeric
• Salt & pepper to taste

Batter:

• 1 cup chickpea flour
• 1 cup plant-based milk of choice
• ½ tbsp onion powder
• ½ tbsp garlic powder
• ½ tbsp parsley
• Salt & pepper to taste

Crisp:

• 1 cup panko bread crumbs, gluten-free or regular

Mayoketchup:

• Equal parts of vegan mayo & ketchup
• 1 tbsp garlic, blended

 

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Drain and rinse the jackfruit, then slice each piece into bite-sized pieces and remove the seeds without breaking the pieces.
3. Then add to a mixing bowl along with all the ingredients for the seasoning and stir until fully combined.
4. Transfer the jackfruit to the lined baking tray and bake for 15 minutes, turning the jackfruit pieces halfway through.
5. Meanwhile, combine the batter ingredients in a separate mixing bowl until smooth and runny; you want pancake batter consistency. Set aside.
6. Next, add a few tablespoons of the panko bread crumbs.
7. Then place a frying pan on medium-high heat and pour enough vegetable oil in so that the oil is 1 cm deep. Once the jackfruit has finished baking, test the oil is hot enough by dropping a small amount of the batter into the pan. If it sizzles it is ready for the jackfruit.
8. Dip the jackfruit pieces in the batter, then roll in the panko until fully covered. Place in the hot oil and fry until crispy and golden brown on each side. Place on kitchen towel to soak up the oil.
9. Baking Instructions: Crank up the oven heat to 450 F. Line the baking tray with a new parchment paper. Drop the jackfruit in the batter and roll in the panko bread crumbs. Place on the baking tray, leaving space in between pieces. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
10. Mayoketchup: add all ingredients in a small mixing bowl, and mix until fully combined.
11. Serve with your favorite side & dipping sauce, and enjoy!

Did You Make This Recipe?

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