Recipes

Chicken with Poblano Cream Sauce

Chicken with Poblano Cream Sauce

Pechugas de Pollo con Crema Poblano
Here's a contemporary dish of chicken breasts topped with a lovely green sauce of poblano chiles, onions, chicken broth, and cream, that's similar to a dish I had in Tlaquepaque, a suburb of Guadalajara. Fresh corn is perfect with the chicken.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • Prepare the chiles.
  • Then, remove the stems and seeds.
  • Cut one of the roasted chiles into short thin strips and reserve.
  • Chop the remaining 2 chiles and put them in a blender.
  • In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-low heat and cook the onion and garlic, covered, until the onion is translucent, about 4 minutes.
  • Transfer to the blender with the chiles.
  • Add the chicken broth and blend until smooth.
  • Return the blended mixture to the same saucepan.
  • Stir in the cream and ¼ teaspoon of the salt.
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring, 4 to 5 minutes to blend the flavors.
  • Adjust seasoning and reserve off heat.
  • In a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil and cook the chicken breasts 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until lightly browned on the outside, firm to the touch, and no longer pink inside at the thickest part.
  • Season with the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt.
  • Reheat the sauce.
  • Serve with the heated sauce spooned over the chicken.
  • Scatter the reserved chile strips on top.
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Course; Chicken
Cuisine; Mexican

Sautéed Chicken with Pasilla Chile Sauce

Sautéed Chicken with Pasilla Chile Sauce

Pechugas de Pollo con Salsa de Chile Pasilla
Breast of chicken goes very well with dark spicy pasilla chile sauce. I like to serve Chayote and Carrots with the chicken.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • Prepare the chile sauce.
  • Then, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet and cook the chicken about 4 minutes per side or until it is browned on the outside, firm to the touch, and no longer pink inside at the thickest part.
  • Season with salt.
  • Serve each chicken breast with a little of chile sauce spooned on top.
  • Sprinkle each serving with the sesame seeds.
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Course; Chicken
Cuisine; Mexican

Grilled Chicken with Red Chile and Orange Sauce

Grilled Chicken with Red Chile and Orange Sauce

Pechugas de Pollo con Salsa Roja y Naranja
Dark red ancho chiles have a rich dried fruit flavor that pairs well with the sweet-tart flavor of orange juice. Grill the chicken on a stovetop grill pan or over hot coals on an outdoor grill. Either way, it's quick and easy, because the sauce can be prepared ahead, leaving only the chicken to cook at the last minute.
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Equipment

  • Saucepan

Ingredients

Makes 6 servings

Instructions

  • Wipe the chiles with a damp paper towel.
  • Cut the chiles open, and remove the stems and seeds.
  • Heat a skillet over medium heat, and toast the chiles, turning, until they are aromatic.
  • (Do not burn or chiles will be bitter.
  • ) Put the chiles in a bowl of hot water and soak to soften, about 20 minutes.
  • In a heavy medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat.
  • Add the onion, garlic, and oregano.
  • Cook, stirring, until beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Stir in the broth and orange juice.
  • Add the tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, and ½ teaspoon of the salt.
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, and simmer, stirring frequently, 5 minutes.
  • Put the saucepan contents into a blender or food processor.
  • Lift and drain the chiles from the soaking liquid, and add to the blender.
  • Purée until smooth.
  • (The sauce should be about as thick as ketchup.
  • ) Return the sauce to the saucepan, and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes, to blend the flavors.
  • Remove the sauce from the heat, cover and reserve.
  • (Sauce can be made ahead to this point.
  • Refrigerate to store.
  • Reheat before serving.
  • )
  • Make a hot fire in an outdoor grill, or preheat a stovetop grill pan.
  • Brush the chicken breasts with the remaining oil, and season with the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt.
  • Cook the chicken about 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until lightly browned on the outside, firm to the touch, and no longer pink inside at the thickest part.
  • To serve, reheat the sauce and spoon a pool of sauce on each serving plate and place a chicken breast on each plate, or.
  • Cut each chicken breast crosswise into 1⁄2-inch strips and fan out over the sauce.
  • Garnish with cilantro.
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Course; Chicken
Cuisine; Mexican

Sautéed Chicken with Chipotle Chile Sauce

Sautéed Chicken with Chipotle Chile Sauce

Pechugas de Pollo con Salsa de Chipotle
Tomatillo and Chipotle Chile Sauce is so great with chicken that I have a container of it in my refrigerator almost all the time. The sauce should be at room temperature for this dish. Serve the chicken with a savory Zucchini Pudding, a moist baked dish that's called budín in Spanish, and black beans for a winning combination.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • Prepare the chipotle sauce.
  • Reserve.
  • Then mix together half of the olive oil, with the lime juice, garlic, and salt.
  • Coat the chicken pieces with the mixture.
  • Heat the remaining oil in a medium skillet and cook the chicken about 4 to 5 minutes per side or until golden brown on the outside, firm to the touch, and no longer pink inside at the thickest part.
  • To serve, spoon some of the chipotle sauce over each chicken breast.
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Course; Chicken
Cuisine; Mexican

Chicken with Chipotle Chiles and Tequila

Chicken with Chipotle Chiles and Tequila

Pollo Guisado con Chipotle y Tequila
Casa Viejo is a very special place in the Polanco district of Mexico City. The restaurant is on the top floor of a small luxurious hotel with the same name. Traditional dishes, such as this braised chicken dish, are skillfully executed. Mexicans often add a bit of tequila to some of their dishes in the same way as wine or brandy might be used in other cultures. Tequila imparts a subtle peppery flavor to help balance and bring out natural flavors. Tequila also tends to mellow hot chiles. You can leave it out if you wish.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 450°.
  • Heat 1½ tablespoons of the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken until browned on both sides and firm to the touch, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
  • Season with salt.
  • Transfer the chicken to a plate.
  • To the skillet add the onion and garlic.
  • Cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes.
  • Add the remaining ingredients, except the green onions.
  • Cook 5 minutes.
  • Return the chicken to the pan.
  • Bring to a boil, stirring to mix the chicken with the vegetables.
  • Transfer the pan to the oven and cook, uncovered, until the chicken and potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, toss the green onions with the remaining oil and cook in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until starting to brown, but barely tender, 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Serve the chicken, potatoes, and sauce with green onions scattered on top.
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Course; Chicken
Cuisine; Mexican

Baked Chicken with Mushrooms and Ancho Chile

Baked Chicken with Mushrooms and Ancho Chile on rustic wooden table

Baked Chicken with Mushrooms and Ancho Chile

Pollo con Hongos y Chile Ancho
San Miguel de Allende is a city of steep hills and beautiful colonial buildings in the state of Guanajuato in central Mexico. It has a large permanent American population attracted to its beauty, climate, arts, and crafts. During one of my stays, when I was escorting a culinary group, I had this chicken dish at El Patio restaurant. The dish was prepared with a small half chicken covered with the mushrooms and sauce. I prefer to use whole chicken legs with thighs attached. The herb epazote is important to the flavor, but if unavailable, use cilantro. It won't taste quite the same, but it will still be very good.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • In a small dry skillet, toast the chiles over medium heat, turning, until aromatic, about 1 minute.
  • Soak in a bowl of hot water 20 minutes, then drain.
  • Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and brown the chicken on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
  • Remove to an ovenproof casserole dish.
  • In the same skillet, cook the mushrooms, stirring, about 3 minutes.
  • Add to the casserole dish with the chicken.
  • Reserve the skillet.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°.
  • Put the tomatoes, chicken broth, onion, garlic, epazote leaves, salt, pepper, and the reserved chiles in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
  • Reheat the skillet, and pour in the sauce.
  • Cook, stirring, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Pour over the chicken and mushrooms.
  • Cover and bake until the chicken is tender, 40 to 45 minutes.
  • Divide the chicken and sauce equally among 4 serving plates.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve hot.
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Course; Chicken
Cuisine; Mexican

Grilled Chicken in Red Chili Sauce with Zucchini and Corn

Grilled Chicken in Red Chili Sauce with Zucchini and Corn

Pechugas de Pollo en Salsa de Chili Molida con Calabacitas y Elote
Here's a recipe that uses ground ancho or pasilla chili powder (called chili molida), instead of whole dried chiles, to make the sauce for the chicken. This contemporary dish is brightened with bits of zucchini, corn, and red bell pepper. Maggi seasoning extract is a popular product in Mexico that's widely available in most supermarkets here. Worcestershire sauce is an acceptable substitute.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • In a heavy medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat.
  • Add the onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion begins to brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Add the ground chili, masa, tomato paste, cumin, oregano, brown sugar, Maggi, and beef broth.
  • Stir to combine.
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the sauce, partially covered, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Reserve in the pan, off heat.
  • (Sauce can be made ahead to this point.
  • Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days.
  • )
  • Prepare a hot fire in an outdoor grill, or heat an oven broiler or stovetop grill pan.
  • Brush the chicken with the remaining tablespoon of oil, and season with ¼ teaspoon of the salt.
  • Grill the chicken turning frequently once or twice, about 4 to 5 minutes per side or until no longer pink inside at the thickest part and firm to the touch.
  • Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the butter over medium heat.
  • Add the zucchini, corn, red pepper, and remaining salt.
  • Cook, tossing, until sizzling and heated through, about 2 minutes.
  • Reheat the sauce.
  • To serve, put a chicken breast in the center of each of 4 plates.
  • Spoon the chili sauce over the chicken, and let it pool onto the plate.
  • Scatter the heated vegetables over the top.
  • Sprinkle with cilantro.
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Course; Chicken
Cuisine; Mexican

Sautéed Chicken Livers with Green Onions

Sautéed Chicken Livers with Green Onions

Higaditos con Cebollitos
Here, sautéed chicken livers are cooked with a bit of Worcestershire, which Mexicans sometimes call English sauce. In this recipe, the livers are topped with small green onions for an easy, economical way to prepare often-neglected chicken livers. Serve them with Rice with Mixed Vegetables or another Mexican rice dish.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • Trim the connective tissue from the livers and cut them into 1-inch pieces.
  • Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet.
  • Add the livers and cook, turning, until firm, about 1 minute.
  • Add the Worcestershire and pepper.
  • Cook, stirring, until browned on the outside and barely pink inside, about 3 minutes more.
  • Transfer to a plate.
  • Cook the green onions in the same pan, stirring frequently, until limp and crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.
  • Put the onions on the plate with the liver.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve hot.
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Course; Chicken
Cuisine; Mexican

Grilled Chicken Skewers

Grilled Chicken Skewers

Alhambres de Pollo
After touring the blue agave fields and viewing the tequila-making operation in the town of Tequila, near Guadalajara, we were guests for lunch at the Jose Cuervo distillery's entertaining center. The main dish was grilled chicken and vegetables cleverly skewered on spears from the agave plant, but thick wooden skewers work just as well. Horsemen's Beans accompanied the skewered chicken. If serving with the beans, cook them a day ahead and reheat shortly before serving.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • Cut the chicken into 11⁄2-inch pieces and put in a bowl.
  • Add the oil, garlic, lime juice, salt, and pepper.
  • Toss to coat the chicken with the marinade.
  • Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
  • Prepare an outdoor grill (and grease the rack) or preheat the broiler.
  • Thread the ingredients on the skewers in the following order: 1 piece red pepper, 1 piece chicken, 1 piece ham, 1 piece onion, 1 piece chicken, 1 piece ham, 1 piece onion, and 1 piece poblano chile.
  • Repeat until 4 skewers have been threaded.
  • Cook the skewers on the grill or in the broiler, turning 2 to 3 times, until the ingredients are lightly charred and the chicken is no longer pink inside, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve hot.
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Course; Chicken
Cuisine; Mexican

Minced Spicy Chicken

Minced Spicy Chicken

Picadillo de Pollo
A mixture of minced cooked chicken with onions, tomatoes, chiles, spices, raisins, and olives is used as a filling for such things as Stuffed Chiles with Shredded Spiced Chicken, or as a topping for masa dough snacks called sopes (Masa Shells for Sopes). Chicken picadillo is also a delicious filling for tamales, empanadas, tacos, and more.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 cups

  • 2 chicken breasts half on the bone with skin
  • 2 cups canned chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ medium onion finely chopped
  • 2 large garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 2 medium tomatoes peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 jarred pickled jalapeño chiles en escabeche, seeded and finely chopped
  • ⅓ cup raisins
  • 8 pimiento-stuffed green olives chopped
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon Mexican canela or Ceylon variety preferred
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Put the chicken, skin side down, and chicken broth in a medium saucepan.
  • Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer 12 minutes.
  • Turn the chicken over and simmer 10 minutes.
  • Cool the chicken in the pan off heat.
  • When the chicken is cool enough to handle, separate the meat from the skin and bones and finely chop it into small bits.
  • Discard the skins and bones.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the onion and garlic, stirring, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Add the remaining ingredients, except the reserved chicken, and cook, stirring, until the juices have evaporated and the mixture is nearly dry, 6 to 8 minutes.
  • Mix in the reserved chicken.
  • Transfer to a bowl.
  • The chicken picadillo is ready to use as directed in your recipe.
  • If made ahead, cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate up to 3 days, or freeze up to 3 months.
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Course; Chicken
Cuisine; Mexican