Juicy pieces of chicken under a thin, crisp crust, seasoned with soy sauce, mustard, garlic, and cumin. Fried cassava provides the hearty side while a lime, red onion, and ají limo salsa criolla cuts through the richness exactly where it should. Hot, crunchy, and equally at home as lunch, dinner, or a shared snack.
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Cut the chicken thigh into even pieces about 4 cm wide and pat them thoroughly dry. Mix the egg, mustard, ground garlic, soy sauce, cumin, pepper, and three fifths of the salt; add the chicken and toss until completely coated. Refrigerate for 10 minutes while you prepare the cassava.
Peel the cassava, remove the thick central fiber if present, and cut it into medium batons. Bring the water to a boil and cook the cassava for 12 to 15 minutes, until a knife goes in with little resistance while the pieces still hold their shape. Drain thoroughly and leave uncovered while you finish the chicken; the surface should lose excess moisture before frying.
Mix the all-purpose flour, chuño flour, and one fifth of the salt. Lift the chicken from the seasoning one piece at a time, let excess liquid drip off for a couple of seconds, and coat it in the dry mixture, pressing gently so the crust adheres. Shake off excess flour: you want a thin, irregular coating, not chicken armor.
Slice the red onion into thin feathers and the ají limo into fine strips. Toss them with the lime juice, chopped cilantro, and the remaining salt for 30 seconds. The salsa should stay fresh, crisp, and brightly acidic; keep it aside so it never touches the chicken before serving.
Heat the oil in a medium pot to 170 to 175°C. Fry the chicken in batches without crowding for 5 to 6 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden and crisp and the thickest piece reaches 74°C. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Fry the cassava afterward for 3 to 4 minutes, until the edges are golden and the surface is crisp. Keep your hands and face clear of the pot: both moist chicken and cassava can cause hot oil to splatter.
Serve the chicken chicharrón as soon as it finishes draining, with the fried cassava and salsa criolla alongside. Properly cooked chicken should crunch when bitten while staying juicy in the center, and the salsa comes afterward to cut through the fried richness without softening the crust. And that's it—crunch first, conversation later.
