Belizean Fried Chicken: A Tasty Recipe To Try!

Belizean fried chicken is a delicious traditional dish that is sure to get your taste buds tingling. This mouth-watering meal is a staple in Belize, where it is commonly served with rice and beans. The chicken is marinated in a variety of spices and then fried to perfection, resulting in a tender and flavourful dish. In this article, we will take you through the steps to create this delicious meal, so you can bring a taste of Belize to your dinner table.

Characteristics of Belizean Fry Chicken

Maringating the chicken

To make Belizean fried chicken, you'll want to start by marinating the chicken. This will ensure your chicken is juicy, tender, and packed full of flavor. Here's a step-by-step guide to marinating the chicken:

Preparing the Chicken

Start by trimming any excess fat from your chicken pieces. You can use any parts of the chicken you like, but bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks are a good option. Cut the chicken into serving sizes if needed.

The Marinade

In a large bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of white vinegar with 2 tablespoons of Achiote paste (also known as recado or annatto paste). Achiote paste is a blend of spices, including annatto, oregano, cumin, clove, cinnamon, black pepper, allspice, garlic, and salt. It gives the chicken a distinctive red hue and adds a lot of flavors. If you can't find Achiote paste, you can substitute ground annatto seeds or even a small amount of turmeric.

Coating the Chicken

Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and rub the Achiote and vinegar mixture into the chicken. Make sure all the pieces are well coated. Then, add Worcestershire sauce, cumin, thyme, oregano, and black pepper to the bowl. Mix everything together, ensuring the chicken is evenly coated with the spices.

Marination Time

Set the chicken aside to marinate. You can let it sit for as little as 2 hours, or for even better results, leave it to marinate overnight. The longer it sits, the more time the flavors have to penetrate the chicken, resulting in a more flavorful final product.

After your chicken has marinated, it's ready to be cooked! Remember to pat the chicken dry before adding it to the hot oil to prevent splattering. Enjoy the delicious aroma as it fries, and get ready to indulge in some tasty Belizean fried chicken!

Preparing the ingredients

Wash the chicken thoroughly. You'll need 3 lbs of bone-in chicken thighs and/or drumsticks. You can also use 2 lbs of chicken pieces.

Prepare a mixture of vinegar and water to clean the chicken. You can use white vinegar or lime juice.

Chop the vegetables: dice one medium onion, chop 3-4 cloves of garlic, and chop 1-2 stalks of escallion (green onions). You can also add bell peppers if you like—chop one pepper of any colour.

For some spice, add 1-1.5 teaspoons of scotch bonnet pepper (or less, to taste). You can also add black pepper—about 1/2 a teaspoon.

Add some savoury flavour with chicken seasoning. You'll need 1 tablespoon of chicken seasoning and 1 tablespoon of all-purpose seasoning.

For a unique twist, add some grated ginger to the mix.

If you want to include a tangy fruit flavour, add 1 cup of pineapple juice and 1 cup of diced pineapple slices.

You'll also need some flour, baking powder, and vegetable oil for frying. Get 2 cups of vegetable oil and combine 1 teaspoon of baking powder with enough flour to coat the chicken pieces.

Finally, prepare some chicken stock and ketchup for the sauce. Combine 1 cup of chicken stock with 1/2 cup of ketchup.

Cooking the chicken

First, clean the chicken in a mixture of vinegar and water. For a 2-pound chicken, use 1/4 cup of vinegar and 4 cups of water. For a 4-5 pound chicken, use vinegar or lime juice to taste and enough water to coat the chicken.

Now, prepare the marinade. For the Belizean stew chicken, mix together the achiote or annatto paste, vinegar or lime juice, salt, cumin, thyme, black pepper, and cilantro. For the fried chicken, blend the following ingredients with 1 cup of water: 2 chopped stalks of escallion, 1 chopped medium onion, 4 cloves of chopped garlic, 1.5 teaspoons of chopped scotch bonnet pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of all-purpose seasoning, and 1 tablespoon of chicken seasoning.

Pour the marinade over the chicken, rub it in, and leave the chicken to marinate. For the stew chicken, you can marinate the chicken for as little or as long as you like. For the fried chicken, leave the chicken to marinate for 2 hours or overnight.

When you're ready to cook the chicken, heat some oil in a pot or skillet. For the stew chicken, heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. For the fried chicken, heat enough vegetable oil to fry the chicken pieces in a skillet.

If you're making the stew chicken, add some brown sugar to the melted oil and cook until the sugar melts and turns dark brown. Be careful not to burn the sugar. Then, add the minced garlic to the pot.

Now, add the chicken. For the stew chicken, cook the chicken until it's fully browned on all sides. For the fried chicken, place the chicken pieces and the marinade in a heated heavy-bottomed skillet. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes. Then, remove the chicken pieces from the skillet, drain them from the seasoned liquid, and coat them in a flour mixture before frying.

If you're making the stew chicken, add the remaining ingredients to the pot: ginger, onion, tomato, sweet pepper, and half a cup of water. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and simmer for about an hour, adding water as necessary. If you're making the fried chicken, combine pineapple juice, chicken stock, ginger, ketchup, and diced pineapple slices in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and cook for about 15 minutes.

Finally, serve the chicken. For the stew chicken, remove it from the heat and serve when the chicken is very tender. For the fried chicken, drizzle the pineapple sauce over the chicken and serve with boiled rice and a tossed vegetable salad.

Making the sauce

The sauce for Belizean fried chicken is a key component of the dish, adding a burst of flavour to the crispy chicken. This pineapple sauce is a delicious, tangy addition, and is simple to make.

First, prepare your ingredients: you will need pineapple juice, chicken stock, grated ginger, ketchup, and diced pineapple slices. You should have already used the vegetable oil, chicken pieces, and flour mixture, so ensure these are cleared away from your work area. Combine the pineapple juice, chicken stock, grated ginger, ketchup, and diced pineapple in a saucepan. Place the saucepan on a medium flame and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and allow the sauce to simmer and reduce for about 15 minutes. This will thicken the sauce and intensify the flavours.

The sauce should be glossy and thick, coating the back of a spoon. If it is too thin, continue to simmer until reduced, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Once you are happy with the consistency, remove the sauce from the heat and pour it into a serving dish or jug. This sauce will be drizzled over the fried chicken, so ensure it is pourable but not too runny.

The sweet and sour pineapple sauce is the perfect accompaniment to the crispy, fried chicken. It adds a burst of flavour and a beautiful, golden colour to the dish. This sauce is a delicious alternative to the usual gravy or ketchup and is sure to impress!

Serving suggestions

Belizean fried chicken is a delicious, traditional dish. It is often served with rice and beans, a staple in Belize. The rice is cooked with sweet coconut milk, and the beans are spiced with chiles, creating an aromatic and flavourful base for the chicken.

For a true taste of Belize, serve your fried chicken with a side of fried plantains. You could also add a fresh, crisp, vegetable salad, providing a nice contrast to the rich, fried chicken.

If you want to go all out, you could make some Belizean fry jacks to accompany the chicken. These are a lot of work but are a delicious, traditional side. Alternatively, a simple cornbread or a loaf of sourdough are great, easier options that still pair well with the chicken.

For drinks, a cold Belikin beer is the perfect accompaniment to this dish, or, for a non-alcoholic option, a refreshing glass of fresh fruit juice.

Frequently asked questions