Recipes

Rolled Chicken Breasts with Poblano Chiles and Goat Cheese

Rolled Chicken Breasts with Poblano Chiles and Goat Cheese

Relleno de Pechugas con Chile Poblano y Queso de Chiva
My husband and I had breakfast one morning with Chef Ricardo Muñoz of Mexico City, a historian of Mexican cuisine, but also innovative in his cooking. Ricardo described this stuffed chicken breast dish and suggested that I try it. I did and I loved the delicious intermingling of flavors. Goat cheese is made as a cottage industry in Mexico and it pairs well with poblano chiles and chicken. I like to serve the chicken rolls on a bed of Rice with Pine Nuts. Pineapple Salsa is also good with the chicken.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • Roast the chiles over a direct flame until charred all over, or place on a baking sheet and roast under a broiler, turning, until charred on all sides, about 5 minutes.
  • Put the roasted chiles in a plastic or paper bag and steam 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Peel the chiles.
  • Cut the chiles in equal halves, from stem end to the tip.
  • Discard the stems and seeds.
  • There should be 4 equal pieces.
  • Rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
  • Set aside.
  • Trim the chicken of any visible fat.
  • Place the breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound with the flat side of a meat mallet or a rolling pin to an even 1⁄8-inch thickness.
  • Sprinkle with salt.
  • Set aside.
  • In a small bowl, work together the goat cheese and capers.
  • Lay out the flattened chicken breasts, smooth side down, and spread the goat cheese equally on each breast, to within ½ inch of the edge.
  • Put 1 piece of reserved roasted chile on the cheese.
  • Fold in the ragged edges and roll the breasts into cylinders.
  • Secure with toothpicks.
  • Brush the rolls all over with the beaten egg white and roll in the crumbs.
  • Put the rolls on a plate and refrigerate about 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 400°.
  • Line a baking sheet with foil.
  • Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and brown the rolls, turning, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Place the rolls, seam side down, on a baking sheet.
  • Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until the rolls are crisp on the outside and the meat is white throughout.
  • To serve, cut each roll crosswise into 4 rounds.
  • Overlap the slices on serving plates to show the filling.
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Course; Cheese / Chicken
Cuisine; Mexican

Rolled Chicken Breasts with Spinach

Rolled Chicken Breasts with Spinach

Pollo Relleno con Espinaca
Leonardo Espinosa Retana of El Campanario restaurant in San Miguel de Allende shared this contemporary recipe. The stuffed chicken breast is served with finely diced cooked vegetables.
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Equipment

  • toothpicks

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • Trim chicken breasts of any visible fat.
  • Place each breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound them, one at a time, with flat side of a meat mallet or a rolling pin, to an even 1⁄8-inch thickness.
  • Sprinkle lightly with salt.
  • Set aside.
  • In a small bowl work together the cheese, chile, and oregano.
  • Lay out the flattened chicken breasts.
  • Using your fingers, spread the breasts equally with the cheese to within ½ inch of the edge.
  • Cover each with 2 layers of spinach leaves.
  • (Store remaining spinach for another use.
  • ) Fold in the ragged edges to meet in the center, and roll lengthwise into cylinders.
  • Secure with toothpicks.
  • Put the egg white in a shallow bowl and put the bread crumbs on a plate.
  • Brush the rolled breasts all over with egg white and roll in the crumbs.
  • Put the chicken rolls on a plate and refrigerate about 25 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables and reserve in the pan.
  • Preheat the oven to 400°.
  • Line a baking sheet with foil.
  • Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and brown the chicken rolls, turning, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Place seam side down on the baking sheet and bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until crisp on the outside and cooked through.
  • Reheat the vegetables.
  • To serve, cut each roll on an angle in half.
  • Arrange on serving plates to show the filling.
  • Spoon the zucchini, corn, and tomatoes around the chicken.
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Course; Chicken
Cuisine; Mexican

Chicken Breasts with Pumpkin Seed Crust

Chicken Breasts with Pumpkin Seed Crust

Pechugas de Pollo con Migas de Pepitas
Native pumpkin seeds are used in a new way to give chicken breast a nutty-flavored crust. I like to serve the chicken with black beans and Grapefruit, Orange, and Avocado Salad.
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Equipment

  • skillet

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, tossing and stirring, until they have a wonderful toasty smell, start to brown, and pop around in the pan, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  • When the seeds are completely cool, put them in a food processor and pulse until chopped into small pieces, or put them in a plastic bag, and pound them lightly with a rolling pin.
  • Put the chopped pumpkin seeds in a pie plate.
  • Add the cumin, mix, and reserve.
  • Put each chicken breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound them with the flat side of a meat mallet or a rolling pin, one at a time, to an even 1⁄4-inch thickness.
  • Season the chicken with the salt and pepper, and rub about ½ teaspoon of oil over each breast.
  • Coat the smooth side of each chicken breast with the chopped pumpkin seeds, and place seed side up on a plate.
  • Press the seeds firmly with the palm of your hand to help them adhere to the chicken.
  • Heat the remaining oil in a large nonstick skillet, over medium heat, and cook the chicken breasts, seed sides down, until the meat appears white all around the outside edges, about 4 minutes.
  • Turn the chicken carefully with a spatula and cook until no longer pink in the thickest part, 2 to 3 minutes more.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve hot.
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Course; Chicken
Cuisine; Mexican

Chicken Breasts with Yucatán Green Seasoning Paste

Chicken Breasts with Yucatán Green Seasoning Paste

Pechugas de Pollo al Recado Bistek
This dish highlights one of Yucatán's most intriguing seasoning pastes called recado bistek, which is made by grinding together toasted garlic, onion, lots of black pepper, oregano, cloves, cinnamon, cumin, and dried chiles. The paste is moistened with orange juice and slathered all over boneless chicken breasts before grilling to produce chicken with flavor that really wakes up your taste buds. The chicken can be grilled over hot coals or indoors a stovetop grill pan. Serve with Yucatán Cabbage Salsa and black beans or rice.
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Equipment

  • grill
  • Small bowl

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • Prepare the seasoning paste.
  • Then, in a small bowl, mix the tablespoon of paste, orange juice, and olive oil.
  • With a sharp knife cut 3 slits, ½ inch deep, on the smooth side of each chicken breast and put the breasts on a platter.
  • Brush all over with the marinade.
  • Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours.
  • Remove the chicken from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking.
  • Prepare an outdoor grill (and grease the rack), or preheat a stovetop grill pan.
  • Grill the chicken about 4 to 5 minutes per side until well marked from the grill, and it is no longer pink inside at the thickest part.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve hot.
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Course; Chicken
Cuisine; Mexican

Drunken Chicken

Drunken Chicken

Pollo Borracho
When a dish contains some kind of alcohol, it's often called "drunken." Sherry is the spirit in this braised chicken dish with strong Spanish influences, which began after Spain established communities in Mexico in the mid-1500s. They brought with them familiar European ingredients. Soon the Indian and European cultures began to blend cooking ingredients from Europe with native ingredients of the New World. Because much of the early trade came through the port at Veracruz, that region and other Gulf coast areas still maintain a great deal of Spanish influence in regional dishes.
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Equipment

  • large nonstick skillet
  • oven
  • ovenproof casserole dish

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°.
  • In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat, and cook the chicken about 5 minutes per side, or until golden brown on the outside but not cooked through.
  • Season with salt, and transfer the chicken to an ovenproof casserole dish.
  • In the same skillet, cook the onion, garlic, and oregano 1 minute.
  • Add the tomato and cook until the juices are reduced and the mixture is nearly dry.
  • Stir in the broth, sherry, cinnamon, allspice, crushed pepper, and parsley.
  • Bring to a boil and pour over the chicken in the casserole dish.
  • Cover and bake the chicken 35 to 40 minutes, or until very tender.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve hot.
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Course; Chicken
Cuisine; Mexican

Chicken in Its Own Juice

Chicken in Its Own Juice

Salsa de Frijol Negro y Aguacate
Pollo en su JugoJust the name of this popular dish from Guadalajara made me want to try it. For the best flavor, use all the chicken parts for this simple stovetop dish. Serve with good bread or tortillas to sop up the wonderful juices. Mexican Rice or Corn and Cabbage go well with the chicken. A bottle of hot sauce or a small bowl of red or green salsa is usually on the table to add to the chicken.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • Wash the chicken and pat dry with paper towels.
  • Trim excess fat and any excess skin.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Heat the oil in a large deep skillet and cook the chicken about 3 minutes per side, or until lightly browned on the outside but not cooked through.
  • Remove the chicken to a bowl.
  • Fry the onions in the same oil until limp, about 4 minutes.
  • Return the chicken to the pan.
  • Add the broth, vinegar, thyme, and cumin.
  • Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the chicken is tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
  • (If desired, for easier eating, pull the meat off the bones in large pieces and return the meat to the broth. Discard the bones.)

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve the meat and juices in shallow soup plates.
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Course; Chicken
Cuisine; Mexican

Chicken for a King

Chicken for a King

Pollo de Rey
I have been cooking this recipe for many years and have yet to serve it to a king, but my husband, family, and friends all love it. The recipe came from the late Elena Zelayeta, a cookbook author from San Francisco. I have made some changes to reduce the amount of fat in the sauce. For a striking contrast of colors, serve with Tomatillo-Cilantro Rice or Green Rice. Mexico produces some fine brandies, such as Pedro Domecq, a well-known label on both sides of the border. Most of the grapes for brandy are grown in Baja and Sonora.
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Equipment

  • large nonstick skillet

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Prepare the pepper.
  • Reserve.
  • Then, trim the chicken of any excess fat.
  • Place each breast between 2 pieces of plastic and pound with the flat side of a meat mallet or rolling pin to an even 1⁄4-inch thickness.
  • Season with ½ teaspoon of the salt and the pepper.
  • Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet and cook the chicken about 3 minutes per side, or until lightly browned on the outside but not cooked through.
  • Place in a single layer in a large baking dish.
  • Set aside.
  • Reserve the skillet for the sauce.
  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Coarsely chop the roasted peppers and put in a blender.
  • Add the cream, chicken broth, and brandy.
  • Blend until smooth.
  • Pour the sauce into the reserved skillet and bring to a boil.
  • Add the remaining salt and hot pepper sauce.
  • Cook until the sauce reduces and thickens, about 3 minutes.
  • Pour over the chicken.
  • Sprinkle each breast equally with the shredded cheese.
  • Place in the oven and bake until the cheese melts and the sauce is bubbling around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve hot.
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Course; Chicken
Cuisine; Mexican

Braised Chicken with Prunes

Braised Chicken with Prunes

Braised Chicken with Prunes
Pollo con CiruelasWhen my husband and I first traveled to San Cristobal de Las Casas in the highlands of Chiapas in southern Mexico in 1974, we stayed at the Molina de la Alborada, a lovely hillside inn. This mild chicken stew with strong Spanish roots was one of the regional specialties that I especially enjoyed. Whole cut-up chicken was originally used for the dish, but I use boneless chicken breasts.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • In a large, flameproof casserole dish, heat the oil over medium heat.
  • Add the chicken and cook about 3 minutes per side, or until lightly browned on both sides but not cooked through.
  • Remove the chicken to a plate.
  • In the same skillet, cook the onion, garlic, carrots, salt, oregano, thyme, cinnamon, and allspice, stirring, for 2 minutes.
  • Add the chicken broth, wine, and vinegar.
  • Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the carrots are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes.
  • Add the zucchini, prunes, and reserved chicken.
  • Cover the casserole dish, then bake 25 to 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
  • Stir in the pepper, then adjust seasoning.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve hot, garnished with strips of pickled jalapeños.
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Course; Chicken / Fruit
Cuisine; Mexican

Chicken with Tamarind

Chicken with Tamarind

Pollo con Tamarind
Tamarind paste adds a note of tartness to the flavors of this chicken dish. Although tamarind is native to Asia and northern Africa, it is a very popular ingredient in Mexico, especially in a refreshing beverage called fresca de tamarindo (Tamarind Cooler). In the later 1500s, Spanish galleons from Asia landed in Acapulco and brought tamarind, and many other products, such as nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and tea to the area and other parts of the country.I prefer to use the whole leg-thigh chicken pieces for this dish, since the legs become very tender and the flavors are enhanced by a longer cooking time. Chicken breasts can be cooked this way, too, but the roasting time should be shorter or the meat will be dry. Mango Salsa and rice are good accompaniments for the chicken.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • Prepare the tamarind paste.
  • Then, measure out 3 tablespoons and put in a blender.
  • Cover and store the remaining paste for another use.
  • Put the chile in a bowl of hot water and soak 20 minutes.
  • Add the chile to the blender and discard the water.
  • Add the tomatoes, ketchup, oil, cinnamon, allspice, and pepper.
  • Blend to a thick smooth purée with the consistency of ketchup.
  • If too thick, add just enough water to achieve the right consistency.
  • Transfer the sauce to a bowl and reserve.
  • Preheat the oven to 300°.
  • Season the chicken with salt.
  • Line a large shallow baking pan with foil and grease the foil to prevent sticking.
  • Arrange the chicken skin side up in a single layer in the pan.
  • Roast, uncovered, 30 minutes.
  • Raise the oven temperature to 375° and brush the chicken with the reserved tamarind mixture.
  • Cook, turning and brushing the chicken with additional tamarind glaze about every 10 minutes until the chicken is dark brown and tender, about 35 to 40 more minutes.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve hot.
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Course; Chicken
Cuisine; Mexican

Chicken in Tangerine Sauce

Chicken in Tangerine Sauce

Pollo en Salsa de Naranja Tangerina
Alicia Franyuti de Cornish, owner of Hacienda de las Flores in San Miguel de Allende, has arranged special dinners for my culinary groups in the dining room of her hotel. During a visit to San Miguel, Alicia gave me this recipe that is Mexican with French influence. It's elegant and delicate enough for non-spicy eaters. You can substitute mandarins if you like. Serve on a bed of steamed spinach.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • Peel 2 of the tangerines, and separate into segments.
  • Gently remove any seeds and pith with a small sharp knife.
  • Reserve the segments on a plate.
  • Squeeze the juice from the remaining tangerines.
  • Pour the juice through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl and discard the pulp.
  • Measure out ½ cup and reserve for the sauce.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°.
  • In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil and butter over medium heat.
  • Cook the chicken about 3 minutes per side, but not cooked through.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Remove to an ovenproof casserole dish.
  • To the skillet, add the onion, garlic, reserved tangerine juice, wine, bay leaf, marjoram, and thyme.
  • Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, 2 minutes.
  • Reduce the heat to low, and add the bacon, parsley, and cornstarch.
  • Cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens and clears, about 1 minute.
  • Adjust seasoning, and remove the bay leaf.
  • Pour the sauce over the chicken, cover, and bake until the chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Add the tangerine segments and heat through, about 1 minute.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve hot with the sauce spooned on top, and garnish with the tangerine segments.
 
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Course; Chicken