Nothing screams consolation meals like fried rooster. Fried rooster’s reputation has spanned the globe, even taking on Latin America. For the previous a number of a long time, there was an enormous growth in fried rooster restaurant chains in South and Central America due to the favored Latin fried rooster spot Pollo Campero. I grew up consuming it after it opened in America (my typical order together with rice and beans, yuca fries, and tortillas).

Now there are numerous copycat recipes for Pollo Campero’s fried rooster. These recipes typically use a mix of citrus and spices to imitate the favored meals chain’s model.

The premise for my very own copycat recipe is similar as American Southern fried rooster however has a special taste and spice profile: My recipe makes use of lime juice as a substitute of buttermilk for the brine and incorporates herbs and spices like oregano, cayenne, sazón, and adobo. And we’ve tweaked the cooking technique: Relatively than deep-fried rooster, an air fryer is used to make the rooster pores and skin completely crisp and crunchy.

It’s excellent for weeknight dinner, a picnic, or attempting a brand new solution to cook dinner a basic.

Origins of Central American Fried Rooster

This tropical, Latin spiced rooster supposedly originated in Guatemala within the Seventies and have become popularized by the Latin fried rooster chain Pollo Campero. Pollo Campero now has a number of areas round the US as nicely.

The Variations Between Air Frying and Deep Frying

So how does an air fryer create that crispy crunch? An air fryer works like a small convection oven that produces the impact of frying—with out extreme oil. Air fryers have change into a preferred kitchen equipment of selection for these trying to reduce on oil.

Technically, an air fryer (regardless of its title) doesn't fry. It's truly a small convection oven that makes use of circulated scorching air from a fan to create a crispy texture by way of the Maillard response (what makes meals brown and crispy as a product of heating sugar and proteins).

Unsure the place the title originated, however an air fryer has a a lot nicer and tighter ring to it than a “mini-convection oven.”

Why We Brine Rooster (Even When Air Frying)

This brine is a mixture of recent lime juice, recent garlic, and Latin spices like sazón (a mix of cumin, coriander, garlic powder, achiote, salt, pepper, and oregano). Lime juice acts like an acid—it breaks down rooster fibers and helps to soak up the flavour from the citrus and spices and retain moisture.

Whereas some lime marinades for rooster say you possibly can marinate for as much as 12 hours, I don't suggest marinating for greater than two hours; in any other case, the acid from the lime will make the rooster too robust. An unintentional 4-hour marinade yielded a chewier, more durable (but nonetheless scrumptious) air fried rooster.

Go for Pores and skin-On, Bone-In Rooster

For the crispiest and juiciest air fried rooster, do your self a favor and go for skin-on, bone-in rooster. The pores and skin will give the marinade and the coating a greater floor to stick to. Shaking off extra marinade previous to coating will make for higher outcomes (the extra dry the rooster pores and skin, the higher it is going to crisp when cooked).

One other factor to bear in mind with a view to obtain crispy pores and skin within the air fryer is to guarantee that the rooster pores and skin is flat when you dredge it and are able to put it within the air fryer. You may as well use kitchen scissors to chop off any extra pores and skin, if wanted.

You Do Want a Little Oil to Air Fry

It’s vital that the coated rooster is completely sprayed with nonstick cooking spray—any dry flour spots in the course of the heated circulation course of will burn reasonably than crisp. For those who spot any dry flour areas whereas cooking, merely spray the world.

Ingredient Swaps and Substitutions

Not in love with anyone explicit spice? For those who don’t just like the fiery warmth from cayenne, omit it or swap it for a milder chili like chili powder or some extra paprika. For those who don’t have adobo helpful (regardless of its reputation!), you may make it your self at residence or swap for powdered garlic or onion.

Additionally, lemons can work for limes in a pinch.

I want to make use of legs and thighs for this recipe, you too can use wings.

What to Serve With Pollo Campero Fried Rooster

Southern type fried rooster is usually eaten with sides like coleslaw and biscuits however in style sides amongst Latin People embrace yuca fries, tortillas, or beans. Any facet you determine to go along with will probably be a terrific accompaniment to this crunchy, citrusy fried rooster recipe.

Storing and Reheating

Air fryers will not be solely fantastic for his or her crunch-inducing capabilities, but additionally for reheating leftovers. Cooked fried rooster might be saved in an hermetic container within the fridge for five days and reheated within the air fryer for 4 minutes at 375°F.

Alternatively, you possibly can reheat within the oven at 300°F on a baking sheet till warmed by, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Pollo Campero-Fashion Air Fryer Fried Rooster

  • PREP TIME
    10 minutes
  • COOK TIME
    30 minutes
  • TOTAL TIME
    40 minutes
  • SERVINGS
    4 servings
  • YIELD
    8 items of rooster

Observe : You may must air fry the rooster in batches. Prepare dinner time is between 25 to half-hour per batch of rooster.

Substances

For the marinade:

  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon floor cumin
  • 2 teaspoons sazón (do-it-yourself or store-bought)
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 4 recent limes, juiced
  • 8 items skin-on, bone-in rooster (4 drumsticks, 4 thighs)

For the flour dredge:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon adobo (do-it-yourself or store-bought)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon floor cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For cooking rooster:

  • Nonstick cooking spray

Technique

Prep and marinate the rooster:

In a small bowl, whisk collectively the salt, garlic, pepper, cumin, sazón, oregano, and lime juice. Pour right into a gallon sized plastic zip-top bag. Add rooster and therapeutic massage to coat completely. Refrigerate for at the very least 1 hour or as much as 2 hours.

Put together the flour dredge: 

In a big bowl, whisk collectively the flour, pepper, adobo, salt, cumin, and cayenne.

Coat the rooster with the flour dredge:

Take away rooster from the fridge. Shake off extra marinade and scrape off any solids similar to giant granules of garlic. Dip the rooster items within the flour dredge and coat nicely.

Let the rooster relaxation:

Switch coated rooster items to a clear plate or wire rack with a sheet tray to relaxation for at the very least 10-Quarter-hour.

Air-fry the rooster:

Spray the basket of an air fryer with non-stick cooking spray. Working in batches, relying on the dimensions of the air fryer, place rooster items within the basket of the air fryer (it does not matter if the rooster is skin-side up or down). Remember to keep away from stacking or overlapping the rooster items and make sure that rooster items don't contact.

Spray the rooster items flippantly with non-stick cooking spray, ensuring that there are not any dry flour spots.

Place the basket within the air fryer and switch the air fryer to 400°F. Prepare dinner for 20 minutes, then flip the fried rooster with tongs, spray flippantly with non-stick cooking spray, and cook dinner for one more 10 to fifteen minutes or till a meat thermometer inserted into the middle of rooster reaches ​​165°F.

Serve:

Let rooster relaxation on a plate for a couple of minutes earlier than serving.

Serve with coleslaw, fried yuca, beans, tortillas, or biscuits. Cooked fried rooster might be saved within the fridge for five days and reheated in a 300°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes.