Vaca Frita de Pollo is a shredded chicken dish cooked until tender, then pan-fried until crispy on the outside. The chicken is infused with orange and lime juice for a mojo flavor. Today, I’m taking a little help from the grocery store and using a Rotisserie chicken. 

I wanted to make this traditional Cuban dish a weeknight meal. Using a rotisserie chicken saves a lot of time and makes it easier and faster to put on the table. I promise it will be just as delicious. Served with fresh mango salsa, Vaca Frita de Pollo Tacos can be on the table in no time at all.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20
Total Time: 1 hour
Yields: 2 to 4 servings
Equipment: chef’s knife, wooden spoon, 2 plastic mixing bowls with lids, aluminum foil, 1 (12-inch) cast-iron skillet, tongs, cutting board

Ingredients for the Vaca Frita de Pollo:
1 rotisserie chicken, deboned
2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced into half-moons
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil (neutral-flavored oil)
1 tablespoon of Kosher salt
1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
16 corn tortillas, served warm

Mojo Marinade:
1/4 vegetable oil (a neutral-flavored oil)
2 cups of orange juice, no pulp
1 cup of fresh-squeezed lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons of dried oregano
1 tablespoon of Kosher salt
1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves of garlic, minced

Ingredients for the Mango Salsa:
2 to 2 1/2 cups of fresh mango (3 large mangos), 1-inch dice
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1 Fresno chili, seeded and minced
1/2 cup of cilantro, roughly chopped
1/4 cup of fresh lime juice, 4 juicy limes
1 tablespoon of Kosher salt
1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

Directions For Mango Salsa:
While the chicken is marinating in the mojo, prep all the ingredients for the mango salsa. Add all of the ingredients from the list above into a plastic mixing bowl, and toss to combine. Cover and transfer the refrigerator to chill until ready to serve. In the meantime, start the Vaca Frita.

Instructions for the Warm Tortillas:
Preheat oven to 225°F.
Wrap the tortillas in foil packets and place on the middle rack until ready to serve.

Instructions for the Vaca Frita de Pollo:
Debone the chicken. Place into a mixing bowl. Add all the ingredients from the list above into a mixing bowl, and mix to combine. Cover and set aside, allowing the chicken to marinate for 30 minutes while making the mango salsa. Slice the onions and set aside.

In a preheated cast-iron skillet, over medium heat, add vegetable oil and sliced onions. Add Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Cook the onions until golden brown around the edges, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer the onion to a plate and set aside.

In the same hot skillet, using a pair of tongs, transfer the marinated chicken to the skillet. Some of the marinade is going to get into the pan. You want a little of the marinade because of the acid in the citrus. This will allow you to *deglaze the skillet. As the marinated chicken starts to bubble, use a wooden spoon to scrape any onion bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet.

The marinade will evaporate, allowing you to pan-fry the chicken for about 10 minutes or until brown and crispy. Be careful not to burn it!

Transfer the crispy shredded chicken to a serving platter. Arrange the onions on top. Garnish with lime wedges. Serve with warm tortillas and my mango salsa.

There you have it, my Vaca Frita de Pollo Tacos.

Notes:
1) *Deglaze: The process of diluting meat sediments in a pan. In this case, the onion bits. This adds flavor to the dish. Another reason is to make gravy or sauce.

2) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through the online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.

3) If you’re going to make my recipe for mango salsa, it’s best to prepare the salsa while the chicken is marinating.

4) Start by warming up the tortillas before you begin preparing the dish.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/