Chicharrones De Pollo--Puerto Rican Fried Chicken

This is my mom's recipe, and still my favorite. It's just as good at room temp as it is hot (well, almost).

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  frying chicken
• 1⁄4 cup soy sauce
• 1⁄4 cup lemon juice
• 1⁄4 cup rum
• 2  garlic cloves, chopped
• 1  piece  nickle-sized ginger, chopped
• 1  bay leaf
• 2  cups flour
• 1  tablespoon salt
• 1  teaspoon pepper
•  vegetable oil (for deep frying)

Directions

1. Cut the chicken into chunks. You should get 10-16 pieces.
2. Combine the soy sauce, lemon juice, rum, garlic, ginger, and bay leaf in a bowl or zipper bag, add the chicken pieces, and let marinate at least 4 hours in the refridgerator (overnight is best).
3. Combine the flour, salt, and pepper, and put on a plate or waxed paper for dredging.
4. In an electric fryer, or on the stove, heat the vegetable oil to 375 degrees.
5. Once the oil has reached the correct temperature, dredge the chicken 4-5 pieces at a time, and fry until crisp and golden brown. The time will depend on the size of the chicken.
6. As you complete each batch, remove the cooked pieces to a rack to drain, and dredge and fry the next batch.
7. Serve with rice and beans. A salad is good here, too.