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Crispy Chicken Chicharrón with Creole Tartare & Guayen Sauce
by Giacomo Bocchio
recipe easy Peruvian

Crispy Chicken Chicharrón with Creole Tartare & Guayen Sauce

A popular Peruvian snack of chicken thigh pieces marinated in garlic, lime, soy sauce, oregano and mustard, dipped in a seasoned batter (aparejo), coated in a flour-cornstarch mix, and deep-fried until golden and crunchy. Served with two dipping sauces: a creole tartare made with cornstarch-based mayonnaise, red onion, scallions, hard-boiled egg, parsley and vinegar; and a guayen sauce made from toasted salt with Chinese five-spice and lime juice.

20m Prep
15m Cook
35m Total
4 Servings
chicharron pollo chicken fried piqueo snack peruvian chifa tartare guayen crispy easy quick beach food sharing

Ingredients

Batter (Aparejo)
  • 230 g Water (cold) (cold for better crunch)
  • 20 g American mustard
  • 1 unit Egg
  • 5 g Salt
  • 5 g Black pepper
  • 5 g Onion powder
  • 5 g Garlic powder
  • 8 g Baking powder
  • 190 g All-purpose flour
Cornstarch Mayonnaise
  • 50 g Cornstarch (for empois base)
  • 250 g Water
  • 15 g Salt
  • 15 g Vegetable oil (for empois)
  • 3 units Eggs (for emulsion)
  • 10 g American mustard (for emulsion)
  • 15 g Vinegar (for emulsion)
  • 500 g Vegetable oil (added slowly for emulsion)
Creole Tartare
  • 120 g Red onion (cut into fine julienne)
  • 30 g Scallions (sliced, reserve some for garnish)
  • 4 g Parsley (chopped)
  • 110 g Hard-boiled egg (finely chopped or passed through a grater)
  • 8 g White vinegar
  • 200 g Cornstarch mayonnaise (prepared as above)
  • 5 g American mustard
Dredge
  • 150 g All-purpose flour (for dredging)
  • 100 g Cornstarch (for dredging, mixed with flour)
Frying
  • 1 L Vegetable oil (for deep frying at 180°C)
Guayen Sauce
  • 15 g Toasted salt with Chinese five-spice (guayen spice blend)
  • 2 g Black pepper (to taste)
  • 50 g Lime juice (freshly squeezed)
Marinade
  • 500 g Chicken thigh pieces (cut into bite-sized pieces)
  • 4 cloves Garlic (finely chopped)
  • 10 g American mustard
  • 3 g Dried oregano (crushed by hand)
  • 30 ml Lime juice (freshly squeezed)
  • 15 ml Soy sauce (light)
  • 2 g Salt

Steps

  1. 1
    Season the chicken thigh pieces in a bowl with salt, finely chopped garlic, American mustard, crushed oregano (Tacna oregano preferred), lime juice, and light soy sauce. Mix well with gloved hands so every piece is coated.
    Tip: If marinating for more than a few minutes, refrigerate. If frying soon, leave at room temperature for more even cooking.
    ~5 min
  2. 2
    Prepare the batter (aparejo): combine flour, baking powder, salt, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Add the egg, American mustard, and cold water. Mix until smooth — it should resemble pancake batter. Using cold water creates thermal shock during frying for extra crunch.
    Tip: Keep the batter cold — cold water is key for achieving maximum crunch on contact with hot oil.
    ~5 min
  3. 3
    Prepare the dredge by mixing all-purpose flour and cornstarch in a shallow tray. Cornstarch gives the best golden, spot-free frying finish. Potato starch (chuño) is healthy and crunchy but leaves white spots — better for sauced dishes like chijaukay.
    Tip: Cornstarch gives a golden, spot-free finish; potato starch is better when the fried item will be sauced.
    ~2 min
  4. 4
    Transfer the marinated chicken into the batter and coat each piece well. Then transfer each piece to the flour-cornstarch dredge, shake off excess, and set aside ready for frying.
    ~5 min
  5. 5
    Heat vegetable oil to 180°C (356°F). Fry the coated chicken pieces in batches until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on paper towels.
    Tip: Do not overcrowd the fryer — fry in batches to maintain oil temperature and ensure even crunch.
    ~10 min
  6. 6
    Make the cornstarch mayonnaise: combine cornstarch, water, salt, and vegetable oil in a saucepan. Mix cold, then heat while stirring until it thickens and turns from opaque white to slightly translucent. In a tall container, combine this with eggs, mustard, and vinegar. Blend with an immersion blender while slowly adding vegetable oil until emulsified.
    Tip: The cornstarch base prevents the mayonnaise from breaking when mixed with wet ingredients like onion.
    ~10 min
  7. 7
    Make the creole tartare: combine the cornstarch mayonnaise with finely julienned red onion, sliced scallions (reserve some for garnish), chopped parsley, finely chopped hard-boiled egg, American mustard, and white vinegar. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
    ~5 min
  8. 8
    Make the guayen sauce: combine the toasted salt (with Chinese five-spice) with pepper and freshly squeezed lime juice. Mix well. This chifa-inspired condiment is the perfect salty-citrus complement.
    Tip: For the guayen spice blend, see Chef Pati Chong's recipe — it's toasted salt with Chinese cinnamon/five-spice.
    ~3 min
  9. 9
    Plate the golden chicharrón de pollo on a serving dish, garnish with reserved scallions, and serve alongside both sauces for dipping.
    ~2 min

Nutrition (per serving)

350
Calories
20g
Protein
35g
Carbs
15g
Fat
3g
Fiber
Cultural Context
Chicharrón de pollo is one of Peru's most beloved piqueos (shareable snacks), perfect for gatherings, beach days, and family celebrations. Peru is famously a 'chicken country' — pollo is the most consumed protein nationwide. This version features an aparejo (liquid batter) technique common in professional Peruvian kitchens, plus two sauces rooted in Peru's multicultural culinary heritage: the tártara criolla blends European tartare with Peruvian criollo ingredients, while the salsa guayen reflects the deep Chinese-Peruvian (chifa) influence on the country's cuisine.
Video thumbnail
Giacomo Bocchio
HOY PREPARAMOS CHICHARRÓN DE POLLO FÁCIL Y RÁPIDO | ELEVA TU JUEGO CULINARIO
Watch on YouTube →
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