Grilled Puerto Rican Pinchos de Pollo (Chicken Skewers)

Follow these steps at home to make grilled Pinchos de Pollo, a popular Puerto Rican street food of marinated and grilled chicken on skewers. For best results, marinade bite-size pieces of chicken in the fridge for at least one hour (or overnight) before barbecuing the chicken skewers. Yields 4 servings.

These Puerto Rican chicken pinchos are a delicious summer staple.

Pair it with a simple ensalada verde, some mofongo, or guineos en escabeche.

If you’re a fan of with traditional Puerto Rican recipes and chicken recipe suggestions, you will love this Puerto Rican arroz con pollo and asopao de pollo recipe.

Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make pinchos de pollo:

• olive oil
• white vinegar 
• fresh oregano 
• garlic
• adobo seasoning
• sazon seasoning 
• bay leaves
• chicken thighs (boneless & skinless) 
• bbq sauce (optional) 

See recipe card for exact quantities.

Instructions

What Kind of Chicken To Use

Here are some options for the chicken to use:

• Bone in Chicken Thighs – feel free to use these and remove the bone while chopping the chicken into pieces.
• Skin On Chicken – similarly to the method mentioned above, simply remove the skin with a knife while processing the chicken.
• Breasts – while I really encourage using chicken thighs, you can make this recipe with chicken breasts if need be. Just be aware that they will be significantly less juicy!

Variations

Pinchos are one of those popular street foods that come in many different styles.

If you ever find yourself lucky enough to visit Puerto Rico, make sure to try pinchos de pollo, pinchos de carne (beef), and pinchos de cerdo (pork) if given the chance!

With similar seasonings and different types of meat, each variation is a unique and finger licking treat.

Equipment

To make this recipe you will need skewers for grilling and a good charcoal grill.

As mentioned above, these grilled chicken skewers are a traditional street food, grilled on the street by local vendors.

If you don’t have a grill, you can make them in the oven on a baking sheet at 400 degrees, but the texture and overall flavor won’t be exactly the same.

Storage

These Puerto Rican chicken pinchos keep really well when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. They should keep for up to 5 days and can be reheated in the microwave, oven or stovetop.

Top Tip

Make sure to have a loaf of fresh white bread to serve the traditional way with your pinchos de pollo. Bonus points if you rub them with some fresh garlic, olive oil, and a sprinkle of adobo seasoning.

Buen provecho,

Print