EL POLLO LOCO FLAME-BROILED CHICKEN

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El Pollo Loco Flame-Broiled Chicken image

Okay, time to brush up on your Spanish. El Pollo Loco, or "The Crazy Chicken," has been growing like mad since it crossed over the border into the United States from Mexico. Francisco Ochoa unknowingly started a food phenomenon internacional in 1975 when he took a family recipe for chicken marinade and opened a small roadside restaurante in Gusave, Mexico. He soon had 90 stores in 20 cities throughout Mexico. The first El Pollo Loco in the United States opened in Los Angeles in December of 1980 and was an immediate success. It was only three years later that Ochoa got the attention of bigwigs at Dennys, Inc., who offered him $11.3 million for his U.S. operations. Ochoa took the deal, and El Pollo Loco grew from 17 to more than 200 outlets over the following decade. Muy bien!

Provided by @MakeItYours

Number Of Ingredients 8

2 cups water
4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon yellow food coloring (or a pinch of ground saffron)
2 tablespoons pineapple juice
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 whole frying chicken with skin, halved or quartered

Steps:

  • In a blender, combine the water, salt, pepper, garlic, and food coloring (or saffron). Blend on high speed for 15 seconds. Add pineapple juice and lime juice to marinade, blend for 5 seconds.
  • Marinade the chicken in the liquid in a bowl or pan for 45 minutes. Turn and marinate for 30 minutes more.
  • Preheat a clean barbecue to medium-low grilling heat.
  • Cook the chicken on the open grill for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Be sure the flames are not scorching the chicken, or the skin may turn black before the center is done. Lower the heat if necessary. (If you do not have a gas grill, you can spray a little water on the charcoal to keep the flames at bay.) Turn the chicken often as it cooks.
  • Cut the chicken into 8 pieces, with a large, sharp knife, cutting the breast in half and cutting the thighs from the legs.
  • Makes 8 pieces.

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