Like empanadillas, many countries have some variant of grilled kebabs in their street food repertoire. What always made Puerto Rico's version special to me is the tradition of threading a piece of pan sobao to the top. Pan sobao is an enriched white bread in an elongated baguette shape, so any similar breads will perfectly work as a substitute. My uncle used to add a dollop of tamarind paste to the bbq sauce which I always loved and add myself whenever I have some on hand. This recipe makes about 6-8 pinchos and can be easily scaled up or down depending on what you need!
Ingredients
BBQ Sauce
- 1 c BBQ sauce
- 1 tbsp tamarind paste (optional)
Pinchos
- 6 cloves of garlic
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 envelope Sazón, culantro and achiote flavor (optional for extra color and flavor)
- 1 tsp adobo
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts or 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut in 1-inch cubes
- Cooking spray for grilling
- 1 loaf of long bread (baguette, pan sobao, Cuban, etc), cut into rounds for serving
Instructions
- 1-8 hours before cooking: Using a pilón (mortar and pestle) or a small food chopper, process garlic and salt until the garlic is in small pieces. Mix in olive oil, sazón, adobo
- Put chicken breast in a bowl and pour mixture over. Cover and refrigerate
- Mix BBQ sauce ingredients in a small saucepan, and warm on low on the stove. Set aside
- Thread chicken on skewers and lay on a large plate
- Grill kebabs for 10-15 minutes on medium heat, or until the chicken’s internal temperature reaches 165ºF
- Serve with a round of bread threaded on the top of the kebab
