Cha Cha Chicken Recipes

CHA CHA CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Arrange chicken in the bottom of a 2-quart casserole dish. Squeeze lime juice over the chicken and season with salt and pepper.
• Mix salsa and garlic together in a bowl. Spoon 1/4 cup of the salsa mixture over each chicken breast; top with more lime juice.
• Cook chicken breasts in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 50 to 60 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

CHA-CHA CHICKEN SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk together cream cheese and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in chicken, pineapple, and cranberries just until blended.
• If desired, spoon mixture into a plastic wrap-lined 8-inch round cake pan; cover and chill at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Invert chicken salad onto a cake stand, and remove plastic wrap. Gently press chopped almonds onto sides of chicken salad.

CHA CHA BOWL

Steps:

• Pineapple and Zucchini Salsa:
• Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Season with salt, to taste. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use. Bring to room temperature just before serving.
• Black Beans:
• Place beans in a saucepot. Cover with water and cook at a low simmer until tender but not mushy. Add garlic and salt, to taste.
• White Rice:
• Heat oil in a 4-quart pot. Add rice and cook approximately 3 minutes or until rice starts turning light brown. Then add water, garlic, and salt. Simmer until the water is absorbed, then cover and let stand for 20 minutes. Fluff just before serving.
• Al Pastor Adobo Marinade:
• Place chiles in a pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until softened. Transfer softened chiles to a food processor. Add all remaining ingredients, except pork or chicken, and puree until smooth. Cover pork tenderloin in marinade.
• Preheat a grill. Grill pork tenderloin, turning as needed, until it reaches 150 degrees F when measured with an instant-read meat thermometer. Let rest for 10 minutes before dicing into cubes.
• To serve:
• In 4 or 6 serving bowls, layer rice, beans, and pork. Top with pineapple and zucchini salsa.

CHA CHA'S WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large sauce pan over medium-low heat.
• Slowly cook and stir the onion until tender.
• Mix in the garlic, jalapeno, green chile peppers, cumin, oregano and cayenne.
• Continue to cook and stir the mixture until tender, about 3 minutes.
• Mix in chicken broth, chicken and white beans.
• Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove the mixture from the heat.
• Slowly stir in the cheese until melted.
• Serve warm.

CHA CHA'S WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Slowly cook and stir the onion until tender. Mix in the garlic, jalapeno, green chile peppers, cumin, oregano and cayenne. Continue to cook and stir the mixture until tender, about 3 minutes. Mix in the chicken broth, chicken and white beans. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove the mixture from heat. Slowly stir in the cheese until melted. Serve warm.

COCONUT FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together the coconut milk, lime juice, onion and chile. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours but ideally overnight to let the coconut milk mixture tenderize the chicken.
• About an hour before frying, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let it sit out at room temperature to take the chill off.
• In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, add enough oil to come about halfway up the sides and heat to 365 degrees F.
• In large bowl, combine the flour, coconut, salt, garlic powder, thyme, five-spice powder, cayenne, allspice and nutmeg and stir until well combined.
• Remove the chicken from the marinade and lightly shake off the excess. Coat the chicken with the seasoned flour, shake off the excess, then set it on a baking sheet.
• Add a few pieces of chicken to the pot, being careful not to overcrowd. Fry, in batches if necessary, until golden brown and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Set aside on a wire-racked lined baking sheet.
• Arrange the chicken pieces on a platter with the cilantro and lime wedges.