Pinchos con Guava BBQ Sauce
Criollo Grindz shares with us a savory pinchos de pollo recipe topped with guava sauce.
By: Criollo Grindz | @criollo_grindz
Puerto Rico feels so far away when you are raised here in the states. My parents are from Caguas, Puerto Rico and moved to the United States before I was born. We went on trips to the island almost every summer and one of my favorite things to do when we went there was eat. It was through these yearly summer trips to PR, that I was finally able to be fully immersed in my culture.
As much as I loved eating, I was still a very picky eater as a child. However, there was one type of Puerto Rican street food I could never pass up, nice and tender pinchos straight from the grill. It was absolute heaven for me, being on the island with my family and fully embracing my Puerto Rican culture.
As I look back, stopping and grabbing not one, but multiple pinchos, was so much more than just going out and getting something to eat. It was about sitting down and listening to my Boricua brothers and sisters tell amazing stories about our beautiful Isla del Encanto while we enjoyed the simplest of meals. Fast forward a few decades later, I’m able to prepare these for my own family. It’s just one of many recipes that bring a taste of home no matter where I am in the world and the sazones from Loisa make these that much more incredible. I hope you enjoy making this recipe as much as I did!
¡Buen Provecho!
About Criollo
I was born in North Carolina while my father served as an active-duty soldier. I was mainly raised in Wahiawa, Hawaii where I attended high school and college. My love for cooking began when I worked as a cook at a dining facility. It was there I realized how much I enjoyed cooking and sharing my love for food with others. Now social media has given me the means to reach even more people doing just that. I love that there’s a story behind every recipe and each week I’m blessed to hear so many of them from my amazing followers.
Pinchos de Pollo
Criollo Grindz
4-6 (depending on size of skewer)
40 minutes
10-15 minutes
Ingredients
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- 3 lbs of chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of Loisa Sazón* (can be substituted with Loisa Salt-Free Sazón)
1-2 tbsp of Loisa Adobo* (can be substituted with Loisa Salt-Free Adobo)
- 2 tbsp of Loisa Garlic Powder
- 1 tbsp of Loisa Oregano
Juice from 1 whole lemon
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- 1/2 cup of pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup of water
8 oz guava paste
- 1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp of tomato paste
Juice from 1 whole lemon
- 5 minced garlic cloves
- 1 minced shallot (1 tbsp)
- 1 tsp of minced ginger
- 1 tbsp of soy sauce
- 2 tsp of Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp of ketchup
- 1-2 tsp of honey
- 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper (optional)
- Salt to taste (1 tsp)
Directions
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Cut up the chicken thighs into small cubes. Place in a bowl and season with olive oil, lemon juice, and Loisa Adobo, Sazón, Garlic Powder, & Oregano.
Mix and let it marinate in the fridge for at least an hour, preferably overnight.
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As the chicken marinates you can begin making the BBQ sauce. Start by chopping up the guava paste into small cubes. Add the cut up guava first to a skillet at medium high heat. Then add water as the guava begins to melt. Once the guava has melted, add pineapple juice and all of the remaining ingredients.
To a skillet on medium high heat, add the chopped guava. When it begins to melt, add 1/2 cup of water. Once all the guava has melted, add all of the remaining ingredients.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
Place the sauce in a container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
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Preheat the grill to 400°F
Add your marinated chicken pieces to skewers to build your pinchos (like a shish kebab).
Once the grill is preheated, grill the pinchos for 7-8 minutes on each side.
Add your guava BBQ sauce to the pinchos and grill for an additional 5 minutes, or until the internal temperature has reached 165°F.
Serve with a piece of toasted french bread at the top of the skewer and enjoy!
