Adeje Town Hall and the Association of Businessowners, Shopkeepers and Professionals of Adeje (A.E.C.P.A.) have organised the first ever Chicken Fair, to be held on Saturday 14 June. The event will bring together some of the town’s most emblematic restaurants, all known for dishes where chicken is the star ingredient.
Promoted by the council’s Department of Economic Development and Employment, the fair will take place on Calle Grande from 6pm to midnight. The Adeje Chicken Fair is supported by the Tenerife Cabildo’s Department of Trade and Business Support, the Canary Islands Hotel and Tourism Schools (Hoteles Escuela de Canarias), and the Canary Islands Government Department of Tourism.
Councillor Alberto Álvarez Jiménez, who is overseeing the event, explained: “This fair pays tribute to a dish that is part of our identity and appeals to both residents and tourists. It also aims to strengthen the local restaurant sector, create opportunities, and attract visitors with a proposal that combines tradition and commercial vitality.” Álvarez Jiménez added: “The typical Adeje chicken dish is one of the driving forces behind our local cuisine. It has helped build a network of family-run businesses that today play an important role in the municipality’s identity and economy. With this fair, we are giving the 'Adeje chicken' recipe the recognition and spotlight it deserves.”
Nine establishments will take part, offering both traditional and creative takes on the dish, served as half portions with their own accompanying side dishes. There will also be a stall offering handmade desserts, and three stands run by local wineries from the Abona region.
Musical performances will come from local groups Parranda El Mesturao, Quimbao La Nuit, The Vid Band, Escuela de Calor and Ni un Pelo de Tonto. There will also be a children's play area.
In the run-up to the fair, two workshops will be held, open to the general public, at the Costa Adeje Centre for Tourism Development (CDTCA) on 12 and 13 June, from 5pm to 6pm. The first will focus on traditional marinades and seasonings, while the second will explore the art of the side dishes and salads that accompany Adeje-style chicken. Both sessions will be led by chefs from well-known local restaurants.
Adeje chicken began to gain popularity in the 1960s through family recipes using homemade marinades and traditional mojos, and has since become one of the most recognisable dishes of the municipality. According to council estimates, it now attracts more than 400,000 people a year. The aim of the fair is to build on this popularity, explore new ways to add value to the product, strengaathen the local economy, and encourage business involvement in the sector.
The establishments taking part in the initiative, either through the workshops or the fair itself, include the restaurants Oasis, Otelo, España, La Fonda, Buddha Sano Canarias and Aroma y Sabor. Also participating are the tascas Juanito and El Cañón, Cafetería Pica Pica La Favorita, Vermutería La Isa, Amargo Pastelería Artesanal, and the wineries Reverón, Lagar de Chasna and Vera de la Fuente.
