What Are Chicharrones? A Guide to the Crispy Latin Side You Should Be Ordering

It's past midnight, you've been on your feet since morning, and your brain wants one thing: something crispy, salty, and golden that snaps when you bite it. That crunch hits different after a long NYC day. A plain snack won't do it. You need real crackle and real flavor.

That craving usually points you toward one thing on a Latin menu. You keep reaching for chicharrones, and once you know what they are, you'll get why.

What Are Chicharrones, Really?

Short answer: chicharrones are fried pork, loved for the crunch and the rich flavor packed into every piece. It's a fried pork tradition that traces back to Andalusia, Spain, carried across Latin America during the colonial era and adapted differently in every kitchen that picked it up since.

Some versions use pork skin alone, puffed and blistered into light, crackly pieces. Others come from pork belly, so you get a meatier bite with fat and skin still on.

Texture shifts with the cut and the cook. You'll run into crackly and hollow, airy and puffed, or chewy with tender meat sitting under the shell.

The name shows up across Latin menus because so many kitchens fry pork this way, each with its own spin.

Colombian Chicharrón vs. the Rest of Latin America

Colombian chicharrón is its own thing. Picture a thick, meaty strip of pork belly with the skin still attached, fried until the outside crisps and the inside stays tender.

You get layers in one bite: crackly skin, a band of fat, juicy meat underneath. It shows up on plates like the bandeja paisa, Colombia's most iconic platter, alongside beans and rice.

Other regions do it their way. Mexican chicharrón often means the light, puffed skin you snap apart. Cuban and Puerto Rican cooks lean toward crisp fried pork chunks with a heavy hand of salt.

Region changes the cut and the crisp. Same idea, different bite every time.

What They Taste Like (and That Sound You Love)

The flavor lands salty, savory, and rich, backed by that snap you feel before you even taste anything.

On the meaty versions, you break through a golden shell into a steamy, tender bite. The fat carries the flavor. The crisp gives you the contrast.

Salt sharpens the whole thing. A squeeze of lime and a hit of heat cut the richness so each bite stays bright instead of turning heavy halfway through.

Half the appeal is the crunch. That sound is the point.

How Chicharrones Fit Into a Real Meal

Chicharrones work as a side, not only a quick snack. They bring crunch and salt to a plate that needs a lift.

Pair them with rice and beans for something filling. Set them next to arepas, or add sweet plantains so the salt plays off something mellow. If you want to build a filling Latin plate without overdoing it, we've broken it down by filling and portion so you can order with intention.

They sit well among other Latin side dishes, rounding out a spread when you want variety on the table.

And when you're between meals? Grab them on their own. They hold up fine as a standalone crunchy fix.

The Best Dips and Sauces to Go With Them

Start with lime. A quick squeeze brings sharp, bright contrast that wakes up every bite. There's a reason it lands on the plate every time: acid brightens flavor and cuts through fat, keeping the richness from sitting too heavy between bites.

From there, aji brings herby heat, spicy sauces add a kick, and cooling dips balance the fat. The move is acid and heat against richness.

That acid does the heavy lifting. It slices through the fat so you keep reaching for more without feeling weighed down.

Sauce options vary by spot, so check what's on hand before you plan your pairing.

Where to Get Chicharrones in NYC

The city rewards a good crispy run, whether it's a late-night NYC run worth making or a quick lunch pickup between meetings.

When you scan a Latin comfort-food menu, read how the chicharrones are described. Meaty pork belly reads differently from puffed skin, and knowing which one you want saves you.

Empanada Mama is one spot to check when you want that crispy fix alongside empanadas and other Latin plates.

Menus, sides, hours, and delivery can change by location, so verify what's offered before you order.

Ordering Tips So You Get the Good Crunch

Decide first: meaty or crispy skin. If you want juicy pork under the shell, go for the pork belly style. For a light snap, ask for the crackly version. And if you're still building your full order, another slow-cooked, deeply savory bite worth ordering alongside is the oxtail empanada, rich enough to hold its own next to anything on the table.

Ask how fresh the batch is. Chicharrones taste best hot off the fry, so timing matters more than almost anything else.

Order While It's Hot. Literally. 

That craving for something salty, golden, and snapping won't sort itself out. Chicharrones come off the fryer and start losing that crunch fast, which is exactly why timing is the whole game. Empanada Mama runs 24 hours across multiple NYC locations, so you're never more than a few minutes from the right order. Pair it with an empanada, add a side, and the plate builds itself. 

Find your nearest Empanada Mama location and check what's on the current menu before someone at the table orders for you.