Pan Fried Chicken {Fríe Me Un Pedazo de Pollo, Mami}

Don’t freak out. This is not a proper post. It’s just not. This wasn’t planned at all. Not even thought about. So there are no pretty, luscious, and drool-worthy pictures. But Dinner just happened about 40 minutes ago and something about this pollo tonight pressed me to share with you its glory. This is just a tease. Seriously. I’m not being mean, rather hoping you find some inspiration to make life easier for yourself in the evenings. When you’re really hungry (HANGRY, as some folk in my parent’s house get), want some really delicious to eat but don’t have much time and are lacking some mojo, so to speak, make this. I promise you will not be disappointed and it’ll end up in your rotation of go-to dinners for irritable and hungry kids, a tired husband, a friend in need of some TLC, or for yourself when you’re under pressure to just exist — kind of  like me. Next to boiling pasta, this is the easiest thing you’ll ever make without sacrificing flavor and ingredient integrity. We call it pollo en sartén or pan fried chicken. Or in my siblings’ and my case, ‘Mami, frie me una pechuga de pollo, please.’

It’s a Cuban staple.

The trick here, and the main you need to concern yourself with, is marinating it in nothing but fresh pressed garlic, sliced onions, fresh squeezed lemon juice, and some salt. That’s it. That simple. That fast. Marinate it for at least 30 minutes before cooking and in no time you’ll be enjoying a succulent, juicy piece of chicken simple in ingredients but robust in flavor. The cooked garlic and onions will remind you of the lusciousness found in yuca con mojo. Or this bistec.

Pair your chicken with anything you’d like. Chop it up in chunks and throw over pasta, over a cold macaroni salad, toss in a vegetable salad, or have like I do….

Which you probably already know is with long grain white rice — that cooked pan juice, drenching the fluffy rice is something to talk about! But, I’ve been enjoying a lot more vegetables these days, so my pairing tonight was with malanga or taro root. Way high in carbs, but holds great nutritional value and fills me up quickly. A good thing to stave off the midnight cravings.  And if I’m going super lean, I’ll just do a nice breast with a large tomato, a few chunks of avocado, both sprinkled with salt and lightly dressed with olive oil and vinegar and call it a night.

Dinner.

Easy peasy.

15 minutes cook time, if that.

Healthy.

Boom.

Done.

(Via Instagram)

This was dinner tonight. And because this post was not scheduled or anticipated in any form of practicality, I will have some yummy pictures of how I enjoy this most, plated up really pretty for you to see the final cooked pollo. 

For now, I’ll still share a recipe with you. One you’ll bookmark, favorite, print out, flag, etc… I don’t know. I just know you need it in your life.

Much like I’ve had it for the past 30-something.

Life sometimes really is about simplicity and ease. I’m in this space where I’m eager to adapt the principle Less is More.

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Eat well, love unapologetically, pray with true intention, and take care of yourself.

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Enjoy

PANFRIED CHICKEN (Pollo en Sarten)

Ingredients: 

• 1 pound chicken, preferably breasts, unskinned
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/2 white onion, sliced
• 5 cloves, garlic, pressed
• juice from 1 lemon
• salt to taste

Method:

Place chicken on large platter. Season with salt. Rub garlic evenly, covering each chicken breast. Squeeze lemon. Top with onions. Cover and chill for at least thirty minutes. Remove from fridge and let sit for five minutes before cooking. Heat up canola oil in medium frying pan. Sear chicken on each side until brown, approximately two minutes each. Lower heart to low-medium and thoroughly cook through, approximately 10-12 minutes. Add garlic and onion marinade about 5-7 minutes before chicken has finished cooking. Transfer to serving dish and scooping out cooked garlic and onions with pan juice.