Easy Chicken Mofongo Recipe

4.69 from 16 votes

This delicious classic Puerto Rican dish is the perfect thing to mix up your weekly meal plan!

Prep Time30

Cook Time1

Total Time1 30

Course: Main Dishes

Cuisine: Creole

Keyword: chicken, ethnic dishes, mofongo, Puerto Rican recipes

Servings: servings

Calories: 1333kcal

Author: Courtney ODell

For the mofongo:
4 green plantains
1 lb of chicharrón pork rinds
1 slice bacon cooked and crumbled
3 garlic cloves mashed
4 teaspoons of olive oil
2 cups frying oil
For the Creole sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic minced
¼ cup onions chopped, about 1/2 medium onion
¼ cup green bell pepper chopped
¼ cup yellow or red bell pepper chopped
½ cup celery chopped
½ teaspoon paprika
1 ½ teaspoons Creole seasoning
½ teaspoon dried leaf thyme
½ teaspoon dried leaf oregano
½ teaspoon dried leaf basil
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon hot pepper sauce
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 can 14.5 ounces each diced tomatoes with juice
1 can approximately 1 2/3 cups chicken stock ?(or vegetable stock)
4 green onions sliced, with most of the green
1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons butter
For the chicken:
8 boneless skinless chicken thighs see notes above if using bone-in, skin-on thighs, which are also just as flavorful in this recipe.
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp celtic sea salt
1 tsp fresh cracked pepper
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp lemon juice

Heat oil in a large pot or dutch oven.
Peel the plantains, cut them into 1 1/2-inch slices, soak them in salty water for 15 minutes as oil comes to temperature.
Remove plantains from water, and dry them with a paper towel before putting them in the hot pot with oil. Make sure any drops of water have been completely dried off.
In small batches, fry plantains for about 12 minutes at medium-low heat or until they turn very light brown.
Make sure to turn plantains as they cook.
Do not brown plaintains much - you want them to stay soft and easy to mash, but the color should be a lovely dark yellow and light brown, so they are soft to the touch. Check doneness with a fork.
Remove plantains from oil, and place in to a large bowl or mortar.
Smash plantains with a pestle or the back of a spoon.
Add some mashed garlic and pieces of pork rinds along with crumbled bacon, smashing into the plaintains.
Once you have mashed all the plantains, mold them into the shape of a circle or half circle using your hands - make 8 circles.

Add all ingredients into a bowl or plastic bag and let marinate for 30 minutes to overnight.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Optional - brown chicken thighs on the outside in a pan over high heat until just golden brown. (If pre-browning, reduce total cook time by 5-8 minutes.)
Place chicken thighs on parchment paper, taking care to not space too close together.
Bake for 10 minutes, then flip and take temperature. Bake another 10 minutes and check the chicken's temperature.
As chicken is about 150 degrees, turn on the broiler to high and let crisp until 165 degrees internally (only about 5 minutes - take care to not burn the chicken! Watch it closely.)

Heat butter and oil over medium-low heat in a medium saucepan.
Add chopped garlic, onions, peppers, and celery. Sauté the vegetables for about 5 to 7 minutes, until just tender.
Meanwhile, combine the paprika, Creole seasoning, thyme, oregano, basil, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and ground pepper in a small cup.
Stir tomatoes into the vegetables then add the seasoning mixture. Sauté for 1 minute longer.
Add chicken or vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Stir in the sliced green onions.
Add cooked chicken to pot.
Continue boiling, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Much of the liquid will cook away.
Stir in the tomato paste and butter until well blended into the sauce.
Serve immediately over mofongo in large, deep dish or bowl.