Ingredients:

• 1 Whole Chicken (about 4 pounds)
• 1 Pound Baby Yellow Potatoes
• Freshly Squeezed Juice from 2 Oranges
• Freshly Squeezed Juice from 1 Lime
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• 1/3 Cup White Onion, finely diced
• 7 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 2 Serrano Chile Peppers, minced
• 1/4 Cup Fresh Italian Parsley, chopped
• 1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
• Salt, to taste

Mojo de Ajo Garnish:

• 1/2 to 1 Stick Unsalted Butter
• 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1/3 Cup Fresh Italian Parsley, chopped
• 1/2 Cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped
• Salt, to taste

Directions:

Combine the orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, onion, garlic, serrano peppers, parsley, cilantro, cumin, black pepper and salt in a medium bowl.

Coat the chicken inside and out with the marinade, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove the chicken from the fridge.

If using a slow-cooker, coat the inside with olive oil.

Cut some aluminum foil into small squares and coat with a little olive oil. Prick the baby potatoes with a fork and season with salt.

Wrap the potatoes tightly with the foil.

Place the potatoes in the slow-cooker.

Place the chicken, breast side down, on top of the potatoes. This will allow the juices to flow to the bottom of the slow-cooker while the chicken is roasting.

Cover and cook on high about 3 & 1/2 hours. (If roasting in the oven, you obviously don’t need to wrap the potatoes in foil, and you can roast them along with the chicken at 375 degrees fahrenheit for about 1 hour & 40 minutes, depending on the oven.)

The chicken will be so tender that it will fall apart easily, so carefully transfer it to a plate. Allow to cool a little before removing the skin. Remove the potatoes from the slow-cooker and let them cool before removing the foil.

Meanwhile, prepare the mojo de ajo garnish by melting the butter in a small saucepan. Sauté the garlic, parsley, and cilantro until softened. Season with salt to taste.

Pour over the chicken.

Serve the garlic chicken with the baby potatoes and warm corn tortillas.

¡Buen Provecho!

Recipe Posted by Lindsay

Pollo Encacahuatado, a delicious dish originally from Puebla, does take a bit of prep time, but it’s definitely worth it! This recipe makes quite a few servings, so you can cut it in half if you’d like. I used my slow-cooker because I wanted the chicken to practically fall off the bones, but you can cook this in large pot on the stove as desired.

Ingredients:

• 5 Dried Ancho Chile Peppers, rehydrated in hot water until softened (I cover the chiles and let them soak while I’m shelling the peanuts)
• 2 & 1/2 Cups Roasted, Unsalted Peanuts (you’ll need to start with about 1 lb. whole peanuts before shelling)
• 5 lbs. Chicken Pieces (on the bone, with skin)
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
• Salt, to taste
• Ground Cumin, to taste
• Ground Cinnamon, to taste
• Ground Cloves, to taste
• 1/4 Cup Peanut or Vegetable Oil
• 1 Large White Onion, coarsely chopped
• 4 Garlic Cloves, diced
• 2 Árbol Chile Peppers (chiles de árbol), stems removed
• 5 Roma Tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 & 1/2 Bolillos (large hard rolls)
• 2 Corn Tortillas
• 4 Chipotle Chile Peppers in adobo sauce
• 6 Cups Chicken Broth (you can substitute 3 Tablespoons Chicken Bouillon Powder dissolved in 6 Cups Hot Water)
• White Sugar, to taste
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 2 Sprigs Fresh Cilantro
• Toasted Sesame Seeds, to garnish (optional)

Directions:

Let the ancho chiles soak in hot water while you remove the shells from the peanuts. You should end up with about 2 & 1/2 cups of peanuts at the end. (Note: If you are using unroasted peanuts, once you’ve removed the shells, toast the raw peanuts in large skillet set over low heat until they’re golden.)

Remove the ancho chile peppers from the hot water. Remove the stems and seeds and chop coarsely. Set aside.

Season the chicken pieces as desired with the black pepper, salt, cumin, cinnamon, and cloves. In a heavy-bottomed pot set over medium heat, add the peanut or vegetable oil (I prefer peanut oil for this recipe). When hot, add a few seasoned chicken pieces skin-side down and cook until browned.

Flip the chicken and brown on the other side.

Transfer the browned chicken to a slow-cooker (Crock Pot) and repeat steps with the remaining chicken pieces. In the same pot used to brown the chicken, now add the onion, garlic, chiles de árbol, and tomatoes. Sauté until tender, stirring occasionally.

While this is cooking, tear the bolillo rolls and corn tortillas into pieces.

Add the roll and tortilla pieces to the pot and cook until softened a bit, 1 to 2 minutes.

It’s time to combine the sauce ingredients in the blender, and you’ll need to do this in batches. Combine about 1/3 of the onion-tomato-bread mixture, 2 cups chicken broth, 1/3 of the peanuts, 1 to 2 chipotle chile peppers, and 1/3 of the soaked, chopped ancho chile peppers in a blender.

Blend until it forms a smooth purée.

Pour the sauce over the chicken in the slow-cooker. Repeat the blending steps two more times with the remaining ingredients, and pour over the chicken. Add a few teaspoons of sugar and stir the sauce in the slow-cooker, making sure the chicken pieces are completely covered. Add the cinnamon stick.

Cook the chicken in the slow-cooker on high for about 2 and 1/2 hours.

Add the sprigs of cilantro, cover, and cook 30 minutes more.

Remove cilantro, taste the sauce, and season with more sugar or salt if desired. Serve the chicken with a healthy portion of sauce, and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds if you wish. Accompany with white rice and black beans. Be sure to serve with warm corn tortillas or bolillos to sop up the sauce!

¡Buen Provecho!

Recipe Posted by Lindsay

Ingredients:

• 500 Grams Pinto Beans, debris removed and rinsed
• 1 Whole Chicken, cut into separate pieces (keep the feet – they add nice flavor to the soup)
• 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 7 Cups Chicken Stock (you can substitute chicken bouillon powder in hot water)
• 1 Large Onion, chopped
• 6 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 3 Celery Stalks, chopped
• 1 Habanero Chile Pepper, stem removed, seeded and minced
• 2 Serrano Chile Peppers, stems removed and minced
• 2 Poblano Chile Peppers
• 2 Dried Bay Leaves
• 1/2 Tablespoon Ground Cumin
• 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
• 1/2 Teaspoon White Pepper
• Salt, to taste

Garnish, optional:

• Fresh Cilantro, chopped
• Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
• Shredded Manchego or Mozzarella Cheese
• Sour Cream
• Avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced
• Warm Corn Tortillas

Directions:

If desired, soak the pinto beans overnight and drain.

In a pot set over medium-high heat, add the oil and butter. When hot, add the chicken pieces and brown them on all sides. (Don’t be surprised by the yellow color of this meat. Most Mexico-raised chicken has a yellow hue due to the chicken feed.)

Transfer the chicken to a slow-cooker (Crock Pot) and add the chicken stock and pinto beans.

In the same pot used to brown the chicken, sauté the onion until tender.

Pour the onion and browned butter into the slow-cooker. Add the celery, habanero, and serrano chiles.

To roast the poblano chiles, set them over a stove burner or under the broiler.

When the skins are blackened on one side, flip and roast them until the skin is blackened on all sides.

Set poblano chiles aside and allow to cool. Then cut the chiles lengthwise and remove the stems, seeds, and blackened skin.

Chop the chiles and add them to the slow cooker, along with the bay leaves, cumin, cloves, and white pepper.

Cover and cook on high for about 2 and 1/2 hours.

Remove the chicken pieces and allow to cool. Discard the chicken feet. Continue cooking the beans on high in the covered slow-cooker.

Remove the chicken from the bones and break the meat up into smaller pieces.

Add the chicken back to the slow-cooker.

Continue cooking on high, covered. If you didn’t pre-soak the beans, it will probably take another hour to an hour and a half for the beans to soften.

When ready to serve, garnish with cilantro, lime juice, cheese, sour cream, and avocado, as desired. Serve with warm corn tortillas.

Enjoy!

Recipe Posted by Lindsay

Croquette Ingredients:

• 1 Boneless Chicken Breast, seasoned and cooked as desired
• 1 Pound (about 5 medium) White Potatoes
• 2 Garlic Cloves, diced
• 2 Eggs
• 1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 Cup Hard Cheese, like Queso Enchilado or Parmesan
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
• About 1/2 Cup Flour
• Vegetable Oil, for frying

Green Sauce Ingredients:

• 4 Large Tomatillos, husk removed and rinsed
• 2 Serrano Chile Peppers
• 1 Small White Onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 Garlic Cloves
• 1/4 to 1/2 Cup Fresh Cilantro, or to taste
• 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
• 1 Tablespoon White Sugar, or as needed
• 2 Teaspoons Chicken Bouillon Powder
• Salt, to taste
• 2 Small Zucchinis, halved lengthwise and sliced, optional

Croquette Directions:

Shred the chicken.

Peel and cut the potatoes into cubes. Boil in salted water along with the garlic cloves until soft.

Drain, then mash potatoes lightly, and set aside to cool.

Once the potatoes are cool, add the shredded chicken, eggs, cilantro, cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.

Place the flour in a medium bowl or plate.

Form a small patty with the chicken-potato mixture.

Place in the flour and coat thoroughly, removing any excess flour.

In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, add oil to about 1/4-inch deep. Transfer the patty to the hot oil.

Cook until golden brown and flip.

When the other side is golden brown, transfer the croquette to a large plate lined with paper towels to drain.

Repeat steps to make croquettes with the remaining chicken-potato mixture.

This makes about 18 croquettes.

Serve hot, topped with the zucchini in green sauce (recipe follows), or garnish as desired.

Note: For another tasty option (tortitas de papa con atun), substitute two cans of tuna packed in oil for the shredded chicken. Just drain the tuna and follow the recipe above. Or, to make simple tortitas de papa, just eliminate the chicken.

Green Sauce Directions:

Cut the tomatillos in half and place them along with the serrano chiles on a foil-lined broiler pan.

Roast them under the broiler until softened and skins are blackened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Remove the stems from the chile peppers. In a blender, combine the tomatillos, chiles, onion, garlic, and cilantro, and blend until smooth.

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat. Pour the green sauce into the pan and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer about 5 minutes.

Add sugar as needed to balance out the acidity of the tomatillos. Add the chicken bouillon powder and salt to taste. Adjust seasonings as desired. Add the zucchini.

Simmer another 5 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is tender.

Keep the sauce warm. Pour it over the chicken and potato croquettes and serve.

¡Buen Provecho!

Recipe Posted by Lindsay

Sometimes we need a little inspiration to liven up leftovers. My dad came up with this recipe for that very reason. Whether starting with leftovers or from scratch, we’re sure you’ll enjoy this dish. This is also an egg-free version of chiles rellenos.

Ingredients:

• 1 Boneless Chicken Breast (you can also substitute beef or pork, or you might opt to omit the meat completely for a vegetarian dish)
• 4 to 6 Anaheim or Poblano Chiles, depending on the size of your casserole dish
• 1/2 Red Onion
• 1 & 1/2 to  2 Cups Steamed or Red Rice
• 2 to 3 Cups Blend of Shredded Cheeses (like Manchego, Cheddar, and Monterey Jack)
• Mild Red Salsa or Enchilada Sauce, canned or homemade

Garnish, optional:

• Green Onions, diced
• Roma Tomato, finely chopped
• Avocado, pitted, peeled and chopped
• Sour Cream

Directions:

Cut the onion into thick slices, grill, and chop.

Season the chicken breast to taste and grill it along with the chiles. Blacken all sides of the chiles.

When done, remove the chiles and chicken and allow to cool. (Note: The beer isn’t included in the recipe, but it does seem to help the chef proceed with the steps that follow!)

Peel, cut lengthwise, and seed the chiles.

Shred the chicken.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Spray the inside of a 13-inch by 9-inch casserole dish with oil or another nonstick agent, if desired. Add a thin layer of the red sauce.

Lay the chiles in two rows.

Spread a spoonful of sauce in each chile.

Add a layer of shredded cheese.

Then add a thin layer of rice.

Next add the chopped onion.

Pour another bit of sauce on top.

Divide the shredded chicken evenly among the peppers.

Spoon some more sauce over the meat.

Finally, completely cover the stuffed peppers with more shredded cheese. (Note: If using Anaheim chiles, as another option, you might decide to double the number of peppers. Use half of them on the bottom of the dish, stuff them as indicated, and at this point, cover them with the remaining peppers, just before topping them with the cheese.)

Bake the chiles rellenos for 20 minutes or until cheese has melted completely. Remove and let stand about 5 minutes.

Serve with the garnishes as desired.

Each chile relleno equals one serving, and hopefully everyone’s plate will look like this at the end!

Buen provecho!

Recipe Courtesy of Dick French

Posted by Lindsay

Ingredients:

• 1 Dozen Corn Tortillas (slightly stale and dry)
• Vegetable or Corn Oil, for frying
• Salt
• 1 Pound (about 4 to 5 medium-sized) Tomatillos, husks removed and washed
• 2 to 4 Serrano Chile Peppers, depending on desired spiciness
• 1 Medium White Onion
• 2 Garlic Cloves
• 1 Tablespoon Chicken Bouillon Powder
• 1 & 1/2 Cups Hot Water
• 1/2 Cup Fresh Cilantro, or to taste, coarsely chopped
• A Pinch of White Sugar, as needed
• 1 Pound Boneless Chicken Breasts, cooked and shredded
• Cotija Cheese or Queso Fresco, optional
• Crema Mexicana or Sour Cream, optional
• Fresh Cilantro, coarsely chopped, optional
• Avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced, optional

Directions:

Cut the tortillas in half, then quarters, and finally into wedges (like tortilla chips).

Pour the oil into a large skillet until it’s about 1/8-inch deep. Set over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add enough tortilla wedges to cover the bottom of the skillet. Fry until golden and crispy, stirring and flipping them as necessary.

Transfer the fried tortilla chips to a plate lined with paper towels. Lightly season the chips with salt, as desired.

Fry the remaining tortilla wedges in batches as described above and set aside. Wipe the skillet clean of any tortilla pieces.

(Note: If you’re pressed for time, you may skip the above steps by using store-bought tortilla chips.)

Most chilaquiles recipes tell you to boil the tomatillos and peppers, but I prefer the flavor acquired from roasting them under the oven broiler. To do this, cut the tomatillos in half and place them cut-side down, along with the serrano peppers, on a foil-lined broiler rack.

Cook under the broiler until the skins are blackened a bit, about 7 to 10 minutes. Once they’re done, set aside to cool.

While the tomatillos and peppers are roasting, cut the onion in half. Thinly slice or chop one of the halves and set aside to garnish the finished dish at the end. Cut the other onion half into wedges and finely dice the garlic. Add about 2 tablespoons of oil to the large skillet and set over medium heat. When hot, add the onion wedges and garlic and sauté until tender. Set aside.

Dissolve the chicken bouillon powder in the hot water. (Note: You can use chicken or vegetable broth as a substitute.) Add the roasted tomatillos and peppers (be sure to include the juices trapped by the foil during the roasting process), the sautéed onion and garlic, the chicken broth, and the 1/2 cup cilantro to a blender.

Blend until smooth.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium-sized pot set over medium-high heat. Add the sauce and bring to a boil while stirring occasionally. Once it begins to boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer in order to thicken the sauce a bit. Meanwhile, taste the sauce, and if it’s too tangy or sour, add a pinch of sugar, or to taste. Season it with salt, if desired.

Once the sauce has thickened, add the tortilla chips.

Gently flip and mix the chips so they’re thoroughly covered with the sauce. Simmer 2 to 3 more minutes, then remove from heat.

Serve the chilaquiles topped with the shredded chicken. (Note: Omit the chicken for a pleasant vegetarian dish.) If desired, garnish the chilaquiles with any or all of the following: the sliced onion, chopped cilantro, crema mexicana, cotija cheese, and sliced avocado. Chilaquiles are often served with fried eggs and/or beans for breakfast, or as a side dish for lunch or dinner.

Bon appétit!

Recipe Posted by Lindsay

Ingredients:

• 1 Medium Chicken, whole or cut into pieces
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 4 Chiles de Arbol, minced, or to taste (if you don’t want it too spicy)
• 1/2 Cup White Wine
• 1/2 Cup Tamarind Pulp
• 1 Cup Chicken Broth
• 1 Tablespoon Chipotle Chile Adobo Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Salt and pepper the chicken. Arrange it in an adequately sized oven-safe dish and set aside.

In a heavy-bottomed pan set over medium heat, add the olive oil, onion, garlic, and chiles de arbol. Simmer and stir frequently for a few minutes until the onion is translucent.

Reduce heat to low and add the wine. Simmer about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tamarind pulp, chicken broth, chipotle adobo sauce, and brown sugar, stirring to combine. Simmer another 15 minutes to reduce the sauce.

Pour the sauce over the salted and peppered chicken.

Roast at 400 degrees for 45-55 minutes. Remove and let stand 5-10 minutes.

Serve with rice, warm tortillas, and your favorite salsa, as desired. The peanut salsa adds a nice dimension to this dish.

Buen provecho!

Recipe Posted by Lindsay

Ingredients:

• 1 Large onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 Garlic cloves, finely diced
• 2 Lbs. Boneless chicken breasts or chuck roast
• 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 Large onions, sliced into rings
• 3-4 Chipotle chiles (canned in adobo sauce), or to taste
• 2 Tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 T. Chicken bouillon powder
• 1 Teaspoon salt
• Tostadas or large flour or corn tortillas
• Sour cream
• Iceberg lettuce, shredded
• Parmesan cheese
• Avocado salsa (optional)

Directions:

Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add half of the large coarsely chopped onion and the two finely diced garlic cloves. If using chuck roast, add the meat and reduce heat to low. Simmer for several hours until tender. Remove the meat, allow it to cool, then shred. If using chicken, add the meat to the boiling water and reduce heat to low. Simmer until just cooked through. Remove the chicken, allow it to cool, then shred.

In a heavy-bottomed pot set over medium heat, add oil and saute the sliced onions until softened but not brown.

In a blender, combine the chipotle chiles to taste, the adobo sauce from the can, the tomatoes, the remaining half of the chopped onion, the two garlic cloves, chicken bouillon powder, and salt. Puree until smooth.

Add the puree to the sauteed onions in the pot and simmer 5 minutes.

Add the shredded meat. Stir and cook until heated through, another 5 minutes or so.

If making tostadas, add some tinga mixture, and top with some lettuce, sour cream, and parmesan cheese.

If making quesadillas, add a flour or corn tortilla to a large pan set over medium heat. Flip when hot and add some tinga mixture to half of the tortilla. Fold the tortilla in half. Flip after a minute or so. When hot, remove from pan and add sour cream, parmesan, and avocado salsa.

Recipe Posted by Lindsay

Ingredients:

• 1 Chicken, cut into pieces
• 1/2 Cup Flour
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
• Salt to Taste
• 8 Bacon Strips
• 3-4 Tablespoons Corn Oil
• 2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 Onion, Finely Chopped
• 1 Teaspoon Fresh Ginger, Minced
• 6 Cups Freshly Squeezed Orange Lime
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Clove
• 2 Tablespoons Chicken Bouillon Powder
• 1 1/2 Cups Canned Pineapple Chunks, with juice
• 2-3 White Potatoes, Cubed, optional

Directions:

Combine flour, pepper and salt. Dredge chicken pieces in the flour mixture. Shake off excess and set aside.

In a heavy-bottomed pot set over medium heat, cook the bacon strips. Remove and cool. Cut the strips into 1-inch pieces and set aside.

If necessary, add oil to the pot. Add the chicken pieces, cooking until golden on all sides. Remove and set aside.

Saute the garlic, onion and ginger in the pot until tender.

Add the orange juice, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, clove, bouillon, pineapple chunks, and bacon pieces. While bringing the mixture to a boil, stir frequently and be sure to scrape the bottom of the pot.

Reduce heat to low and add browned chicken pieces and potatoes.

Cover and simmer about 30-40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender.

Recipe Posted by Lindsay

Ingredients:

• 2 Egss
• 1 Clove Garlic Minced
• Salt to Taste
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper to Taste
• Cayenne Pepper to Taste
• 1 1/2 lbs. Pounded chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 Cups bread crumbs
• 1/4 Cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• Vegetable oil

Directions:

Beat the egss and add the garlic. Add the salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste. Cut the pounded chicken breasts into halves or thirds and coat thoroughly with the egg mixture. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or even overnight.

Add the parmesancheese to the bread crumbs. Add salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste  and mix well. Spread the mixture on a plate. take a piece of chicken , removing excess egg, and thoroughly coat it with the bread crumbs.

Heat about 4 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place the coated chicken in the hot oil. Coat another chicken piece with bread crumbs and add it to the pan. Once golden on the one side, after about 4-5 minutes, flip the chicken over and cook another 4 minutes or until done. Remove the chicken and set aside on a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat procedure with the remaining chicken, adding more oil to the skillet as necessary.

Serve the chicken milanesa hot with salsa and rice, beans, elote con rajas, or any number of side dishes.

Recipe Posted by Lindsay