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When it comes to cooking, chicken is the universal language. This is especially true in the Latino kitchen. Today, Daisy starts with a simple spice-rubbed Roast Chicken (Pollo Asado), moves on to a Salvadoran stuffed chicken, then tops it all with what her kids like to call "Cracker-Jack" chicken -- Pollo Velleroy -- a crunchy caramel and peanuty coated fried chicken.
Pollo Villaroy
This is my version of the classic chicken Villaroy, which is traditionally not stuffed, just coated with béchamel sauce then a crispy coating of crumbs. But I'm always playing around in the kitchen, so I decided to borrow a little from another classic chicken dish-chicken cordon bleu-and filled the chicken breasts with ham and cheese. My kids call this "Cracker Jack" chicken because there's a surprise inside. You'll call it out of this world.
Makes 6 servings
For the chicken
6 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3 pounds)
Fine sea or kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 thin slices Serrano ham, prosciutto, or deli ham
6 pinky-size pieces jack or havarti cheese
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Canola oil
Bechamel Sauce (recipe follows)
For coating and frying
3 large eggs
1 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
Canola oil
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1. Butterfly the chicken breasts: lay one flat on the cutting board and, holding the knife parallel to the board, cut along the long, thick side of the breast until almost but not quite cut in half horizontally. Open up butterflied chicken breast like a book, and, with a meat mallet, pound it out to a little less than 1/2 inch thick. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.
2. Season both sides of the butterflied chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Cover the top of the chicken breasts with ham, leaving a 1/2 to 1-inch border around the edges and tearing the ham slices as necessary. Place a finger of cheese on the edge of ham closest to you. Fold the chicken over the cheese, then roll up the breast to make a compact bundle. Tie the chicken rolls securely with kitchen twine at 1-inch intervals.
3. Spread the flour out on a plate. Roll the chicken bundles in the flour until coated on all sides. Tap off the excess flour. Heat 1/4 inch of canola oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-low. Add as many of the floured chicken rolls as will fit without touching. Cook, turning often, until golden brown on all sides and the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. The key is to keep the heat slow and steady and turn them often so they don't turn too brown before they are cooked through. Remove and cool.
4. While the chicken is cooling, make the béchamel sauce. Working with the béchamel sauce hot from the stove will make it easier to coat the chicken evenly.
5. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper, shiny side up. Turn one of the chicken rolls in the béchamel with a fork until coated on all sides. Lift out of the sauce, let the excess sauce drip back into the pot, then set onto the paper-lined tray. Repeat with the remaining chicken rolls. Refrigerate uncovered until the sauce is set, at least 45 minutes or up to 4 hours. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before frying.
6. Coat the chicken: Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl until foamy. Spread the bread crumbs out in a separate shallow bowl. Stick a fork into one end of one a chicken roll, then turn it in the egg until coated. Lift the chicken out and let it drain a few seconds over the dish. Roll the chicken in the bread crumbs in the same way until coated, then set on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining chicken rolls.
7. Pour 4 inches of oil into a large heavy pot. The oil will foam up after adding the chicken, so be sure there is at least 4 inches of headroom. Heat over medium heat until the tip of a wooden spoon gives off a very lively sizzle immediately (about 360° F). Carefully slip 3 of the breaded chicken rolls into the oil-the oil will foam up dramatically once you add the chicken. Cook until the foaming dies down and the chicken is a gorgeous, uniform golden brown, about 2 1/2 minutes. Remove with a skimmer or slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Serve right away.
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You'll keep coming back to these Latino
kitchen basics!
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