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    Home / Dinner / Chicharõ Trenzado

    Chicharõ Trenzado

    Crispy pork skin, cut into strips, braided, and fried until it crackles — a crunchy, salty snack from the Paraguayan grill tradition.

    ⏱ 20 minPrep time
    🔥 20 minCook time
    🍽 6Servings
    🏷 DinnerCategory
    ☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet

    Chicharõ trenzado is the Paraguayan take on chicharrón: pork skin cut into long strips, braided into little plaits, and fried until deep golden and shatteringly crisp. Served as an appetizer at asados with lemon and a cold drink, it’s pure crispy, salty joy.

    Pork skin, braided and fried to a crackle

    The braid isn’t just for looks — it gives the fried skin more surface area to crisp up, so every bite crackles. The fat renders out as it fries, leaving golden, crunchy strands that are best eaten warm, straight off the paper towel.

    Paraguayan recipes →

    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Scrub the pork skin well and pat it completely dry.
    2. Cut the skin into strips about 6 inches long and 1 inch wide, through the skin and fat.
    3. Braid three strips together, pinching the ends to hold the plait, and repeat with the rest.
    4. Season the braids with salt, pepper, and paprika, and let them dry on a rack in the fridge for 30 minutes (or up to a day — drier skin fries crispier).
    5. Heat the oil to 325°F and fry the braids in batches for 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until deeply golden and crisp.
    6. Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with salt, and serve hot with lemon wedges.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    Dry skin is crisp skin — pat it dry and let it air-chill before frying. If the braids are still chewy in the center, fry them a couple of minutes longer at a gentle 300°F to render the fat fully. Best eaten the day they're made.

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    Recipe details

    Prep20 min
    Cook20 min
    Servings6
    CategoryDinner
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

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