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1
Marinate the Chicken
15 Mins • Hands On
No heat
Mix the beer, garlic, mustard, cumin, oregano, 5 g of the salt and the pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken pieces, turn them until they are all coated, and leave them to marinate for at least 1 hour at room temperature, or overnight in the fridge.
Score the thickest pieces lightly with a knife so the marinade reaches the meat near the bone.
Done when: Chicken pieces fully coated in the marinade, left to soak.
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2
Coat the Chicken
15 Mins • Hands On
No heat
Mix the flour, cornstarch, paprika and 1 g of salt in a wide bowl. Lift each piece of chicken out of the marinade, let the excess drip off, dip it in the beaten egg, then press it into the flour mix until it is thickly coated on all sides. Lay the coated pieces on a rack and rest them for 10 minutes so the coating sets.
Press the coating on firmly — a loose coat falls off in the oil. Resting the coated chicken keeps the crust from sliding off.
Done when: Every piece thickly coated, with no bare skin showing, rested on a rack.
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3
Fry the Chicken
25 Mins • Frying
Oil 175°C (350°F); chicken must reach 74°C (165°F)
Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pot to 175°C (350°F). Fry the chicken in batches, 3 to 4 pieces at a time, for 12 to 15 minutes, turning once, until the coating is deep golden and crisp. Check the thickest piece with a thermometer — it must read at least 74°C (165°F) at the bone. Drain on a rack, not on paper, so the crust stays crisp. Never seal hot oil inside a home pressure cooker: this is open deep-frying, not pressure frying.
Do not crowd the pot — too many pieces at once drops the oil temperature and the coating turns soggy instead of crisp.
Done when: Coating deep golden and crackling, juices clear, thickest piece at 74°C (165°F) or above.
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4
Fry the Potatoes
10 Mins • Frying
Oil 180°C (355°F)
Raise the oil to 180°C (355°F) and fry the potato sticks in batches for 5 to 7 minutes, until golden and crisp outside and soft inside. Drain on a rack and salt them lightly while they are still hot.
Fry in small batches and keep the oil hot — pale, limp fries mean the oil was too cool or the pot was too full.
Done when: Fries golden, crisp outside, fluffy inside.
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5
Make the Llajua and Serve
5 Mins • Hands On
Serve hot; keep the chicken above 60°C (140°F)
Mix the diced tomato, rocoto, chopped onion, 1 g of salt and 5 ml of oil into a fresh, chunky llajua. Toss the lettuce, sliced tomato and onion into a salad. Serve the chicken hot with the fries, the salad and the llajua on the side.
Make the llajua at the last minute — it is best fresh, sharp and juicy.
Done when: Chicken hot and crackling, fries golden, llajua fresh and bright.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the pollo broaster the moment it leaves the oil — crisp, golden and steaming, with hot fries, cold salad and a spoonful of fiery llajua.
Bolivia
2h 25m
