Chicken Mazatlán Recipes

POLLO CON CREMA (MEXICAN CREAMY CHICKEN)

Steps:

• Generously season the chicken breast with with salt, cumin, chili powder and pepper.
• Place flour on a flat plate and dredge the chicken on all sides, shake off excess.
• On a sautéing pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat.
• Fry chicken until they is cooked through and lightly brown-golden on the outside (about 5 minutes each side, depending on the thickness of your chicken).
• Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to prevent chicken from drying out. Set aside.
• Reduce heat to medium. Add one tablespoon of oil and sauté jalapeno and onion until softened.
• Add garlic and sauté until fragrant.
• Add the chicken stock to deglaze the pan scraping up the bottom to remove any browned bits.
• Add the oregano and simmer until the sauce is reduced almost to half, stirring from time to time.
• Reduce heat to low and add the cream, allow to simmer for 2 minutes while stirring occasionally. Adjust with salt and pepper to your taste.
• Return the chicken back into the pan and let simmer from 2 to 3 minutes more to thicken the sauce a little bit.
• Garnish with parsley and chili flakes and serve warm.

CHICKEN A LA CREMA

Steps:

• Brown chicken in olive oil in a Dutch oven over high heat until nice and dark on both sides and fat has rendered, 6 to 8 minutes per side. Remove chicken to a bowl.
• Reduce heat to medium and add onion, mushrooms, and salt to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add chili powder, cayenne, black pepper, cumin, dried oregano, garlic, and poblano peppers. Cook and stir until peppers begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
• Add diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and bay leaf; stir and increase heat to high. Stir in 1 cup creme fraiche and fresh oregano and bring to a simmer. Add chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot, nestling them into the broth so they are covered. Reduce heat to low or medium-low to maintain a gentle, steady simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Use tongs to carefully transfer chicken to a bowl and let cool enough to handle. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook until braising liquids have reduced by about half, 15 to 20 minutes, skimming off fat from the surface as it cooks.
• Meanwhile, remove and discard skin and bones from chicken (or save to make stock). Break up the meat into large or small pieces and save any edible drippings.
• Reduce heat to low and add chicken meat and drippings to the sauce. Simmer until chicken has absorbed the flavor from the sauce, about 15 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in chopped cilantro and remaining creme fraiche. Taste to adjust salt and seasonings.

THE ORIGINAL CAMARONES A LA DIABLA

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over low heat. Add onion and garlic; cook until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add dried chiles; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomatoes; cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until peppers are softened, about 10 minutes.
• Blend chile mixture, orange juice, and bouillon in a blender until smooth. Strain through a sieve set over a bowl; discard solids.
• Sprinkle shrimp with salt and black pepper. Rinse and dry the skillet. Heat butter and oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add shrimp; cook just until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a bowl.
• Add sauce to the skillet; simmer over medium heat until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add shrimp; simmer until cooked through, about 5 minutes.

MARCELLA HAZAN'S ROAST CHICKEN WITH LEMONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Wash the chicken thoroughly in cold water, both inside and out. Remove all the bits of fat hanging loose. Let the bird sit for about 10 minutes on a slightly tilted plate to let all the water drain out of it. Pat it thoroughly dry all over with cloth or paper towels.
• Sprinkle a generous amount of salt and black pepper on the chicken, rubbing it with your fingers over all its body and into its cavity.
• Wash the lemons in cold water and dry them with a towel. Soften each lemon by placing it on a counter and rolling it back and forth as you put firm downward pressure on it with the palm of your hand. Puncture the lemons in at least 20 places each, using a sturdy round toothpick, a trussing needle, a sharp-pointed fork, or similar implement.
• Place both lemons in the bird's cavity. Close up the opening with toothpicks or with trussing needle and string. Close it well, but don't make an absolutely airtight job of it because the chicken may burst. Run kitchen string from one leg to the other, tying it at both knuckle ends. Leave the legs in their natural position without pulling them tight. If the skin is unbroken, the chicken will puff up as it cooks, and the string serves only to keep the thighs from spreading apart and splitting the skin.
• Put the chicken into a roasting pan, breast facing down. Do not add cooking fat of any kind. This bird is self-basting, so you need not fear it will stick to the pan. Place it in the upper third of the preheated oven. After 30 minutes, turn the chicken over to have the breast face up. When turning it, try not to puncture the skin. If kept intact, the chicken will swell like a balloon, which makes for an arresting presentation at the table later. Do not worry too much about it, however, because even if it fails to swell, the flavor will not be affected.
• Cook for another 30 to 35 minutes, then turn the oven thermostat up to 400 degrees, and cook for an additional 20 minutes. Calculate between 20 and 25 minutes total cooking time for each pound. There is no need to turn the chicken again.
• Whether your bird has puffed up or not, bring it to the table whole and leave the lemons inside until it is carved and opened. The juices that run out are perfectly delicious. Be sure to spoon them over the chicken slices. The lemons will have shriveled up, but they still contain some juice; do not squeeze them, they may squirt.

MEXICAN CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large pot, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add tomato paste, diced tomatoes and liquid, and chili powder and cook until most of liquid is evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil; season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, on a rimmed baking sheet, toss tortilla strips with 2 teaspoons oil. Bake until crisp and golden, 8 minutes, tossing halfway through.
• Divide chicken, avocado, cheese, cilantro, and scallion among six bowls; top with broth and tortilla strips. Serve with lime wedges.

CHICKEN MAZATLáN

Steps:

• 1. Put the potatoes in a pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat until the potatoes are tender, about 20 to 40 minutes, depending on size. Peel as soon as the potatoes are cool enough to handle. 2. Steam the diced zucchini on a steaming rack over boiling water in a medium saucepan until crisp tender, about 4 minutes. Reserve in a bowl. Remove the steaming rack from the pan and cook the green beans in boiling water to cover until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold tap water to stop the cooking. Reserve in a bowl. 3. Preheat oven to 350°. Trim all excess fat from the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet. Fry the chicken, in batches if necessary, about 4 to 5 minutes per side until lightly browned on the outside. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the oregano. 4. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish and bake until tender and cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes. Cut the cooked potatoes into quarters and fry in the same pan until lightly browned. Season with the remaining salt and remaining oregano. Add more oil if needed. Put the potatoes in the baking dish with the chicken to keep warm. 5. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat, then warm the tortillas, one at a time, until limp and hot to the touch. Stack and wrap in a clean cloth napkin or foil, then reserve in a basket. 6. To assemble, line a large serving platter with shredded lettuce. Put the zucchini and green beans on the lettuce. Season with salt. Drizzle with the olive oil and vinegar. Arrange the hot chicken and potatoes over the top. Garnish the edges of the platter with avocado and radishes. Spoon a little fresh salsa over everything. Pass a bowl of salsa at the table. Accompany with soft, warm corn tortillas.From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.