Go Back
–+ servings
Crispy chicharrón chips sliced and fanned on a black plate with a wooden bowl of fresh guacamole

Crispy Chicharrón Chips with Fresh Guacamole

Crispy chicharrón chips made from boiled-then-fried skin-on pork belly strips, served with fresh homemade guacamole for the ultimate crunchy snack.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: Latin American, Mexican
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicharrón Chips
  • 5 lbs pork belly skin-on
  • 1 whole onion
  • 1 head garlic halved
  • 2 tbsp black peppercorns
  • 0.5 cup salt
  • Lard for frying
Fresh Guacamole
  • 3 ripe avocados
  • 1 Roma tomato diced
  • 0.25 sweet onion finely diced
  • 1 tbsp cilantro chopped
  • 1-2 jalapeños diced
  • 2 limes juiced
  • 1 tsp salt

Equipment

  • Large pot for boiling
  • Deep pot or Dutch oven for frying
  • Tongs
  • Splatter screen or lid
  • Paper towels or wire rack

Method
 

  1. Slice pork belly into ¼-inch thick strips lengthwise. Cut strips in half to make short chip-sized pieces.
  2. Add pork to a large pot, cover with water. Add onion, garlic, peppercorns, and salt. Boil for 25 minutes. Remove and let dry slightly.
  3. Heat lard over low-to-medium heat. Add pork pieces carefully. Cook for approximately 45 minutes, slowly rendering the fat.
  4. Turn heat to high. Fry until skin puffs up and pieces turn golden brown and crispy. Cover loosely to protect from splattering.
  5. Mash avocados. Mix in tomato, sweet onion, cilantro, jalapeños, lime juice, and salt. Serve alongside hot chicharrón chips.

Notes

Cover loosely: When the heat goes high, pork belly pops aggressively. A splatter screen or tilted lid is essential.
Two-stage fry: Don't skip the low render. The 45-minute slow phase is what makes these crispy instead of greasy.
Sweet onion tip: The ¼ sweet onion in the guac adds mild crunch and sweetness that balances the rich pork.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!