I’d been thinking that pork rinds would be a great coating for chicken, pork or shrimp, so I wasn’t really surprised to see a recipe for something similar. It was time for some experimentation, and the result of that is today’s recipe. Luckily it took only one failure before this worked.
There’s a ton of variations on what seasonings you can use, including Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, ramen salt, paprika, garam masala, shichimi, etc. It all depends on what flavor profile you’re going for.
Of course, this isn’t the most healthful recipe under the sun, but it sure is good. The pork rinds make a perfectly crispy coating. Just make sure you thoroughly cook the chicken.
What you’ll need
- About 1 lb. chicken breast-tenders
- 6 – 7 oz chicharrons (fried pork rinds)
- 2T of whatever blend of seasonings you want to use (halve this amount, if ramen salt). I used garlic powder, ramen salt and coarse-ground pepper.
- Flour for dredging
- 1 or 2 eggs, beaten
- Enough neutral oil for 0.33 inches of depth in your frypan
What to do
If your chicken tenders are fairly thick, pound them flatter with a meat mallet or whatever tool you use for that.
Pulse the chicharrons and whatever seasonings you’re using in a small food process until finely ground.
Next, lay out your coating station by beating the eggs in a shallow bowl, adding some dredging flour to a plate and the ground chicharrons to another plate or shallow bowl.
For each chicken piece: dredge both sides in the flour, shaking off the excess, before dipping the chicken in the beaten egg, ensuring you’ve covered the entire piece. Last, dredge and press the piece into the ground chicharrons and spices, ensuring the entire surface is covered on both sides. Set them on a plate as you complete the process.
Heat about 0.33 inches of oil in a heavy frypan to about 300 degrees F over medium heat. Being careful not to crowd the pan (you may have to cook two batches), carefully lay the pieces into the oil, cooking them for about 4 or so minutes, before turning them for another 4 minutes. Check the internal temp of the thickest part of a piece with an instant-read thermometer to confirm doneness of 165 degrees F. Remove the pieces to a paper-towel lined plate before serving with your favorite dipping sauce or on a ciabatta roll with lettuce and honey-mustard.
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