Quito, Ecuador located in the mountains of Ecuador on the north west coast of South America, is a country with an extraordinaire " re-inventing " gastronomic movement ... The indigenious products hail from the its long coastline and islands, its majestic mountains and the eastern border of the Amazon. In addition there are vast forests, and plains with rich valleys. 

One of the most famous dishes of this region in addition to Peru, though the two are prepared quite distinctly is the La Seca Gallina, or the Dry Hen. However, there is nothing dry about this chicken dish. The dish that I am going to provide a recipe for resembles a croquette in looks and is a XXI city sophisticated re-invention of the indigenious and classic traditional. 

La Seca Gallina -  Ecuatorian  Chicken Croquette Tapas Served as a Pintxo ( pin cho ) on a wooden popsicle stick and on a bed of Ecuatorian mashed cream of indigenious potato. 

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1 Or 2 garlic cloves ( or more to particular palate taste ) 

1 / 2 kilo of chicken breast roasted and sliced into small length wise strips 

Evoo of choice 1 medium size red ripe juicy tomato seeded and peeled

Milk or Cream 

1/8 Tsp. Cumin 

1 tomato - ripe red

onions or scallion or leek or shallot ( your choice ) 

Evoo

Chick pea flour 

Saffron threads for garnish ... 

1/ peel the potatoes and chop into 1 inch chunks and cover with cold water and medium simmer with salt 

2 /   While potatoes are simmering, sauté garlic and scallions or shallots or onions or leek; and sauté until transparent 

3 / Now, add the chicken strips to the onion and garlic in skillet 

4 /  Stir in cumin and any herbs that you might wish to add 

5 /  Add salt and freshly ground black pepper 

6 /  Add the tomato finely minced, and the cream and stir 2 to 3 mins until well combined

7/  Cover and remove off heat 

8 /  Let the mixture cool 

9/  One is going to then create " a croquette " form and roll in Chick Pea flour or day old bread crumbs and sauté  in 1 tablespoon of Evoo per person 

10 /  The chick pea flour prevents See-page of the oil onto the chicken mixture 

11 /  Then, mash the potatoes into  a creamy yet thick texture 

12 / spoon potato mixture on to a bowl 

13 /  place 1 croquette upon the bed of mashed potato and place a popsicle stick into one side 

Enjoy ... 

Margaux Cintrano