More Cuban Fried Chicken, Please

By MAYI BRADY

Dec. 13, 2000 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

Nobody can say Cuban food is healthful--not with a straight face, anyway. But there’s also no denying that it’s delicious.

My friend Di discovered how good Cuban food is when she and I were in high school, and she started eating dinner with my family on a regular basis. The only Spanish she ever learned was “Mas platanos fritos, por favor.”

For this dinner of fried chicken paired with plantains, look for ripe plantains (platanos) in Latino markets and well-stocked supermarkets. They look like bananas that should have been tossed a few days ago; they’re perfect for frying. Before long, you might just find yourself saying, “Mas platanos, por favor.”

Serve this with rice and a salad of sliced avocados tossed with a little olive oil, lemon juice and salt.

Cuban Fried Chicken

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 15 minutes

8 boneless chicken thighs with skin

Salt, pepper

Oil, for frying

1 large onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

Juice of 1 lemon

* Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

* Heat 1/2 inch oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and fry, turning once, until chicken is browned and completely cooked, about 5 minutes a side. Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm.

* Remove all but 3 tablespoons oil from skillet, reduce heat to medium and add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until onion just begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Pour onion, garlic and oil from skillet over chicken. Pour lemon juice over chicken and serve.

4 servings. Each serving: 453 calories; 254 mg sodium; 115 mg cholesterol; 33 grams fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 32 grams protein; 1.09 grams fiber.

Fried Ripe Plantains

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 10 minutes

2 very ripe plantains

Oil, for frying

* Slice plantains on slight diagonal into 1/2-inch slices.

* Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add plantain slices and fry until browned, about 3 to 4 minutes a side.

4 servings. Each serving: 150 calories; 4 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 7 grams fat; 24 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.39 gram fiber.

Sliced Avocado Salad

Cuban Fried Chicken

Rice

Fried Ripe Plantains