Season 08 - Dinner / S08D08
Pollo al Horno with Tostones
Story
Don Luis stood by the oven, his apron slightly dusted with adobo seasoning, the smell of garlic and citrus dancing through his rustic kitchen. “You know,” he said with a wink, “when I was a niño, Sunday wasn’t Sunday without Pollo al Horno. My mamá would marinate that chicken overnight, and when it hit the oven—ay bendito—you knew love was coming.” With his favorite old vinyl playing in the background, Don Luis moved to the stove, prepping green plantains. “Tostones,” he smiled, “the crunch that every bite of chicken dreams of sitting next to.” He flattened each one with the same wooden cup passed down through generations. Today, his granddaughter helped flip the tostones, laughing as the oil sizzled like a Caribbean beach day. It wasn’t just dinner. It was a memory.
Ingredients
- For the Pollo al Horno:
- 8 bone-in chicken thighs
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp adobo seasoning
- 1 tbsp Dominican or Puerto Rican sazón (w/ annatto)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- Juice of 1 lime
- Juice of 1 orange (or ¼ cup orange juice)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 0.5 onion, sliced
- 0.25 green bell pepper, sliced
- Optional: 1 tsp soy sauce or Worcestershire
- For the Tostones:
- 3 green plantains
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Salt to taste
- Garlic water (1 clove smashed in ½ cup water, optional for brushing)
Instructions
- 1Pollo al Horno
- 2Marinate: In a large bowl, combine garlic, adobo, sazón, oregano, pepper, lime juice, orange juice, oil, and vinegar. Add chicken and massage the marinade in. Let it rest at least 1 hour (overnight is best!).
- 3Preheat Oven: 375°F (190°C).
- 4Bake: Place chicken in a baking dish with sliced onions and bell peppers on top. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
- 5Uncover & Roast: Remove foil and roast for 25–30 more minutes until chicken is golden and skin is crispy.
- 6Tostones
- 7Peel & Slice: Cut off ends of plantains, slice skin lengthwise, and peel. Cut into 1-inch chunks.
- 8First Fry: Heat oil in a pan to medium. Fry plantain chunks for 2–3 minutes on each side until golden. Remove and drain.
- 9Smash: Use a tostonera or a flat cup to press each chunk into a disc.
- 10Second Fry: Return flattened plantains to oil and fry until crispy (1–2 minutes per side).
- 11Season: Sprinkle with salt and brush with garlic water for extra flavor (optional).
About the narrator
Don Luis · A character for three generations
Don Luis is the brand character and narrator for this catalog: a warm voice for Puerto Rican family recipes tested by the real creator behind the brand. The project carries three generations of flavor and writes each recipe step by step so any kid can follow it.
Read our mission →