A crispy shredded chicken made with Cuban mojo marinade and pan-fried with sautéed onions. Great use for leftover chicken!
Are you ready for one of the easiest chicken recipes you’ll ever make? This is one of my favorite meals to make whenever I’ve had a busy day and I just want something DELICIOUS and easy. I present to you… vaca frita de pollo aka Cuban cripsy shredded chicken!
Why is called vaca frita de pollo?
Well, technically, the word vaca frita translates to “fried cow”. So why is this called vaca frita if it’s not made with beef? Because the way authentic way to make vaca frita is by shredding the beef and pan frying it until crispy. In this context/recipe, we’re using the term vaca frita as more of the cooking style for the chicken than an actual crispy beef dish.
And I must say, it’s delicious! The crispy shredded chicken tastes citrusy and fresh yet crispy with sautéed onions. YUM!
Let’s make it!
Here’s a video on how to make this Cuban shredded chicken recipe!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Yep, just 3 ingredients!
- Cooked and shredded chicken breast. Feel free to stop by the grocery store and pick up a rotisserie chicken. That’s my favorite shortcut and I promise your secret is safe with me! This recipe is also good for using up leftover chicken.
- Mojo marinade. You can use my recipe for mojo marinade or buy a bottle at the grocery store when you stop by to get that rotisserie chicken. *wink wink
- Onions. I like using white onions and slicing them thin so they incorporate perfectly with the shredded chicken.
How To Make Cuban Shredded Chicken
- Cook the chicken (if you haven’t already). First, make sure the chicken is cooked and shredded. To cook and shred chicken, you can either place the chicken breasts in a slow cooker for 2-3 hours on high or poach the chicken breasts until cooked.
- Shred the chicken. Once you’ve cooked the chicken breasts or bought that rotisseree chicken, shred up the chicken breasts with 2 forks.
- Marinate the chicken. I know it sounds weird to marinate already cooked chicken but stay with me. Promise it will be good. Transfer the cooked, shredded chicken to a bowl and add the marinade. Let it sit in the fridge for 20 minutes or longer. The longer, the better.
- Crisp up the chicken! When you’re ready to start cooking, heat olive oil in a skillet and sauté onions for 2 minutes until they’ve softened and are translucent. Add the chicken and cook at medium-high heat for 10 minutes, flipping over occasionally so all sides of the shredded chicken get crispy. You want crispy not burned so keep an eye on it.
- Serve with your favorite side. Once your shredded chicken is crispy, serve with rice, black beans, congri, cauliflower rice, or salad. Don’t forget to squeeze some lime on top!
That’s all folks. See how easy that was? Dinner in 10 minutes! Can’t beat that!
Crispy Cuban Shredded Chicken Recipe (Vaca Frita de Pollo)
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (~3 lbs)
- 1 1/2 cups mojo marinade
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup sliced white onions
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- In a bowl, add the cooked shredded chicken and toss with the mojo marinade. Marinate for at least 20 minutes. The longer the better.
- In a skillet, add olive oil and sauté onions at medium heat until translucent. Add the marinated shredded chicken. Pan fry for about 10 minutes until brown and crispy. Careful not to burn it!
- Transfer the crispy shredded chicken to a plate. Serve with rice, salad, or black beans and rice. Don't forget the squeeze of lime! Enjoy!
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