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Edible San Luis Obispo

Tajín Crispy Chicken

By Chef Rachel Ponce Tajín has a lot of delicious uses but Wrennyn’s favorite application is to add the seasoning to pineapple. We put our heads together on how to best combine these flavors — fruity and zesty spice — in a fun dish. These crispy chicken tenders will satisfy kids and adults. To create a creamier mouthfeel and more sweetness, we added plantain for a full body sauce. The result is savory perfection or, as Wrennyn explains, “Kids need to taste tajín; it’s not spicy, it’s zingy.”
Servings: 4

Ingredients

Instructions

  • To make dipping sauce: In large skillet on medium heat, melt butter and add onions. Add 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown. Add pineapple and plantain. Cook 5 minutes until caramelized. Add chicken stock and let incorporate for 5 minutes. Add to blender and introduce ketchup, blending until smooth. If mixture is too thick, add more stock. Set aside.

  • To make crispy chicken: Coat bottom of large skillet with olive oil and preheat to medium heat. Create dredging station, setting up 3 bowls — one each for flour, egg and panko. Add 1 or more tablespoons of tajín to panko.

  • Dredge chicken strips in flour, then egg, then panko. Carefully add chicken to hot olive oil and salt the strips. (Don’t overcrowd the skillet.) Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, flip, salt and cook another 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove strips and place on baking sheet topped with a rack to maintain crispiness. Serve chicken strips with more tajín and pineapple dipping sauce.