Ingredients Chicken Chicken Breast Plantain Chicken Strips with Yuca Fries Be the first to rate & review! To make these crispy chicken strips, Paola Velez first dredges the strips in a flour mixture, then dips them in a buttermilk brine — the same brine used to initially brine the chicken, bolstered with an egg — and finally coats the chicken with a mixture of ground plantain chips and panko. The chicken is paired with yuca fries that are crisped up in an air fryer and dusted with adobo seasoning for the finishing touch. Serve the chicken and fries with mayo ketchup for dipping if you'd like, as well as lime wedges and fresh parsley for garnish. By Paola Velez Paola Velez Instagram Paola Velez has been a pastry content creator and influencer since co-founding Bakers Against Racism, a viral advocacy movement. The experienced executive pastry chef was named Pastry Chef of the Year by Esquire and the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington in 2020 and a Food & Wine Best New Chef in 2021. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on June 29, 2022 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Active Time: 40 mins Total Time: 1 hrs 10 mins Servings: 4 Ingredients For the Yuca Fries 1 ½ pounds fresh yuca, peeled and cut into 3-4-inch pieces, or frozen yuca, thawed 1 teaspoon kosher salt Adobo seasoning ¼ cup ketchup ¼ cup mayonnaise Cooking spray For the Chicken Brine 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into about 10 to 12 strips total ½ cup buttermilk ½ orange, juiced (about 1/4 cup) ½ lime, juiced (about 1 tablespoon) 1 teaspoon adobo seasoning 1 egg For the Chicken Coating 4 ounces plantain chips 1 cup panko 1 cup all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon granulated garlic Cooking spray Lime wedges, for serving Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish Directions Make the yuca fries: Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Add yuca and cook until fork-tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Add salt to water and let sit for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain yuca and transfer to paper towels to drain further; let cool slightly. Cut yuca lengthwise into 1/2 inch strips, removing the fiber that runs down the center. Season with adobo to taste. In a small bowl, whisk together ketchup and mayonnaise; cover and refrigerate. Meanwhile, brine the chicken: In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, orange juice, lime juice, and adobo seasoning. Add chicken to buttermilk brine and let marinate for 10 minutes to 20 minutes. Remove chicken from brine, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, and pat dry. Whisk egg into buttermilk brine. Make the chicken coating: Preheat oven to 425°F. Using a food processor, grind plantain chips to the size of panko crumbs (you should have about 1 cup plantain pieces). Transfer ground chips to a medium bowl and add panko, stirring together. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together flour, ground black pepper, kosher salt, and granulated garlic. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and place a wire baking rack within the lined baking sheet. Working with a few pieces of chicken at a time, dredge first in flour mixture to coat, then dip in buttermilk brine and turn to coat, gently shaking off any excess brine back into bowl. Lastly, coat chicken in plantain chip mixture, turning so fully covered, and press firmly to adhere. Place chicken onto wire rack. Spray chicken lightly with cooking spray. Bake chicken tenders until an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F when inserted into center, 18-20 minutes. While chicken cooks, preheat air fryer to 385°F. Spray both yuca pieces and air fryer basket with cooking spray. Working in batches, place yuca in basket and air-fry until golden brown, 13 to 15 minutes. Serve chicken and yuca fries with adobo, lime wedges, and mayo ketchup, if desired. Garnish with parsley. Rate it Print