Pollo al ajillo is a Spanish-inspired meal that appears deceptively simple. All you need is chicken, garlic, olive oil, and some seasonings; however, simplicity creates fewer opportunities for error. Chicken that is overcooked will be dry. Excessively heated garlic will be bitter. If liquid is added too soon in the process of preparing pollo al ajillo, the chicken may steam instead of developing the rich brown crust that imparts so much of the dish’s flavor.
Therefore, great pollo al ajillo is based upon separate control of three aspects: browning the chicken, cooking the garlic, and cooking the chicken to the desired internal temperature.
8 Steps to Cook Pollo Al Ajillo
Choose Chicken Pieces of Similar Size and Thickness
Regardless if you are utilizing chicken thighs, breasts, or small pieces of chicken, attempt to select similar size and thickness. Thin pieces of chicken will cook faster than thicker pieces. This is particularly relevant to pollo al ajillo since you are combining all elements of the meal (chicken and garlic) in the same sauce. As a result, you could have pieces of chicken that are completely cooked whereas others require several minutes of cooking. Thus, having uniform sized pieces of chicken provides you a more consistent beginning point to assess when evaluating how cooked each piece is.
Remove Moisture From the Chicken Before Cooking
Browning is significantly affected by excess moisture on the surface of the chicken. Although initially appearing to be insignificant, drying the chicken prior to seasoning and cooking can greatly impact the quality of both the visual presentation and overall flavor of pollo al ajillo. The primary concern is to allow for adequate surface area contact between the chicken and hot oil to generate the golden brown color prior to placing the chicken into the sauce.
Cook Each Piece of Chicken Individually in a Separate Skillet
Cooking each piece of chicken individually in a separate skillet may appear to increase efficiency; however, overcrowding often hinders browning. Chicken releases moisture during cooking. If numerous pieces are placed into a single skillet, this moisture traps within the skillet and generates steam. Consequently, rather than a beautiful browned chicken you will likely have pale, steamed chicken sitting in liquid. If possible, cook in batches to give each piece of chicken sufficient space to establish direct contact with the skillet, brown and then remove to temporarily accommodate preparation for the next batch.
Utilize Different Preparation Techniques for the Chicken and Garlic
Although garlic is considered the fundamental ingredient of pollo al ajillo, it does not necessarily require the same preparation methods as the chicken. Chicken requires sufficient heat to achieve a nice browning on the outside. Garlic can rapidly become unpalatable due to exposure to extreme temperatures.
Unlike cooking both components of pollo al ajillo in very hot oil at the same time, it is advisable to utilize independent preparation techniques for the garlic. By allowing the garlic to infuse its flavors into the oil without being subjected to excessive heat for an extended period of time, you can avoid burning the garlic.
In addition to preventing charred taste from forming on the garlic, managing garlic and chicken independently enables you to prepare them with ideal heat levels to produce optimal flavors.
Develop the Sauce Following Browning and Infusing Flavor Into Oil
Following establishment of browning on the chicken and fragrance in the oil from garlic, you can initiate development of the sauce. Depending on your specific recipe this may involve various combinations of wine, broth, herbs, etc. Liquid added at this stage can facilitate releasing browned particles from the bottom of the pan and incorporating these particles into the sauce.
As you continue cooking the chicken until it reaches the preferred internal temperature, it is essential to monitor progress of developing the sauce as well. While increased cooking time may provide improved results with regards to developing sauces, past a certain point continued cooking merely removes additional moisture from your chicken. At this juncture knowledge of your chicken’s actual internal temperature will provide far greater insight regarding whether your chicken is done than relying solely on cooking times.
Avoid Making Assumptions About Internal Temperature Based On Appearance
Visual assessment provides valuable information concerning browning; nevertheless, it cannot inform you regarding what is occurring internally within each piece of chicken. Likewise, guidance related to “cooking for an additional five minutes” is nothing more than a rough estimate. Pieces of chicken vary widely with respect to rate of cooking depending upon factors including thickness, initial temperature, placement within the pan and degree of heat used. Therefore, measuring internal temperature provides a clear picture relative to what is taking place.
To eliminate uncertainty about internal temperature and thus about when individual pieces of chicken are done, use an instant-read kitchen thermometer. Since you can focus on developing your sauce while independently assessing internal temperature of each piece of chicken, this method can prove quite effective.
Measure Chicken Temperature Immediately
TempPro TempSwift ELITE TP620 Instant-Read Meat Thermometer offers an excellent solution for monitoring temperature in pollo al ajillo given its ability to deliver accurate temperature readings in 0.5 second response time with ±0.9°F accuracy via its thermocouple-based sensing mechanism. The speed provided by this tool allows for rapid evaluation of multiple pieces of chicken without expending undue time positioning your hand above hot skillet surfaces or steam.
Additionally, 4.31 inch length of probe provides extra reach distance which further aids in maintaining safe distances between hands and hot oils/steam/surfaces.
Lock button enables easy operation while working near hot skillets. Obtain your temperature reading, lock it and remove your device from proximity to heat source to view results.
It also includes larger luminous digits and 180-degree auto rotating backlit display providing readability regardless of angle and ease-of-use whether operating left handed or right handed.
Evaluate Multiple Pieces Prior to Serving
A single temperature reading may not be representative of all pieces of chicken contained within your skillet. Even though pieces of similar sizes may be cooked at varying rates dependent upon their respective positions within the skillet.
Because TempPro TempSwift ELITE TP620 Instant-Read Meat Thermometer measures temperature in 0.5 second, evaluating multiple pieces can be accomplished easily. Assess thickest areas first and remove pieces accordingly versus waiting until slowest piece completes cooking. It also contains Motion-Wake technology enabling n thermometer readiness when required and 90 second automatic shutdown conserves battery life when not in use.
When your meal is complete cleaning can be achieved easily. TempPro TempSwift ELITE TP620 is IP65 waterproof and can be washed with running water. Both magnetic backing and kitchen hooks enable convenient storage options and calibration capabilities ensure maintained accuracy for extended periods.
Conclusion
Pollo al ajillo has no need for numerous ingredients nor complex culinary techniques found in restaurants. Its allure stems from successfully performing a few basic operations well: achieving browning on chicken, providing aromatic garlic and encasing juicy chicken with flavorful sauce.
Most importantly do not attempt to determine success based on one aspect alone, i.e., browning. Use your eyes to evaluate browning performance. Use your sense of smell combined with controlled heat application to protect against burning your garlic. Use internal temperature to determine exactly what is occurring internally within your chicken.
TempPro TempSwift ELITE TP620 Instant-Read Meat Thermometer greatly assists in establishing internal temperature by delivering accurate measurements in 0.5 second response time with 4.31-inch probe and 180°auto-rotating backlit display.
While eliminating guesswork regarding your chicken enables concentration on developing that intense garlicky Spanish-inspired sauce, you will enjoy making this type of food even more!
