Air Fryer Chicharron de Pollo

This easy air fryer chicharron de pollo or fried chicken bites is made with just a few simple ingredients. Bone-in chicken breast works very well for this recipe. I ask the butcher to cut it for me at the grocery store before purchasing to make things easier. The chicken is soaked in vinegar, then seasoned generously with homemade adobo and lime juice before being coated in flour and cooked in the air fryer. If you enjoyed this air fryer chicharron de pollo recipe, you will definitely love this Air Fryer Pork Belly recipe and this Air Fryer Calamari.

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An Explanation Of The Ingredients

• Chicken Breast – Use bone-on chicken breast with the skin still attached.
• Vinegar – Soak the chicken breast in vinegar before seasoning.
• Adobo – You can use store-bought or a homemade blend for this recipe.
• Flour – Coat each piece of chicken with flour before cooking in the air fryer.
• Lime Juice – Marinate the chicken in lime juice before cooking and squeeze fresh lime juice over the chicharron de pollo before serving.

Season the chicken generously with adobo and lime juice and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

This is how you coat each piece of chicken in flour.

Place each piece of chicken inside the air fryer. Make sure not to overcrowd so they cook evenly.

How To Make Air Fryer Chicharron de Pollo

1. First, start by cutting the bone-in and skin on chicken breast into smaller pieces or you can ask the butcher to do this for you at the grocery store before purchasing. Try to make sure that they are roughly about the same size so they cook evenly.
2. Place the cut up chicken into a bowl and add vinegar. Soak them in vinegar and make sure that each piece of chicken is coated in the vinegar, including the skin.
3. Next, transfer the chicken to a different bowl and discard the vinegar.
4. Use a paper towel to pat dry each piece of chicken. They should be very dry.
5. Season the chicken with adobo and lime juice. You may use store bought or homemade. I have included the recipe for homemade adobo in the notes below. I prefer the homemade version because I can add salt according to taste.
6. Cover the seasoned chicken and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
7. In a bowl, combine the flour and adobo. Whisk together to mix.
8. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator.
9. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F for 5 minutes.
10. Coat each piece of chicken with the flour mixture. Shake off any excess flour and transfer to another plate.
11. Spray the inside of the air fryer very lightly with nonstick cooking spray. I recommend this cooking spray.
12. Place the chicken inside the air fryer in one layer. Do not overcrowd or place pieces of chicken on top of each other.
13. Cook at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes. Open the air fryer and flip the chicken over. Cook at 400 degrees F for another 8-12 minutes. Cooking times may vary depending on how large the chicken is and the power of your air fryer. Check notes to find out how you can tell if the fried chicken bites are ready.
14. Remove the chicharron de pollo from the air fryer, squeeze fresh lime juice over it and serve.

What Is Adobo?

Adobo is a combination of spices. You can purchase it at most Latin American grocery stores or you can make a simple homemade version with salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, ground annatto seeds, cumin and onion powder. I prefer to make my own because I can control how much salt I use.

Storing Suggestions

Store leftovers in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I don’t recommend freezing chicharron de pollo because once it defrosts, the skin won’t have the same crispy texture.

Tips & Variations

• Check the fried chicken bites for doneness. Use a kitchen thermometer and insert it into the thickest part of the chicken. Cooked chicken is ready once the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. The chicken should also be very crispy and have a nice color to it.
• It’s important to check on the chicharron de pollo frequently. Cooking times may vary depending on the size of the chicken pieces and the power of your air fryer.
• Make homemade adobo by mixing together 2 tbsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper, 1 1/2 tsp of dried oregano, 1 tbsp of garlic powder, 2 tsp of onion powder, 1/2 tsp of ground annatto seeds and 1/4 tsp of ground cumin. You can adjust these quantities according to taste.
• Skip the flour for an even healthier version of this chicharron de pollo recipe.
• Some people like adding Sazon to their recipe as well. I prefer this version with adobo only but feel free to add Sazon to taste.
• Always read your air fryer manual before using it.