Chicken Rojo Recipes

SALSA ROJA CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place chicken between 2 sheets of heavy plastic on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound chicken with the smooth side of a meat mallet to 1/2-inch thickness.
• Combine flour, salt, and ground black pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in flour mixture.
• Coat a large skillet with olive oil; heat over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and add chicken; cook until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip chicken and continue cooking until second side is golden brown, about 4 minutes more.
• Stir diced tomatoes, salsa, chili powder, and cumin into the skillet. Cook until flavors combine, 2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken stock and lime juice; stir to blend. Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Add 3 ounces cotija cheese and tortilla pieces to the sauce; simmer, about 1 minute. Spoon sauce over chicken on the platter.
• Garnish chicken with remaining 1 ounce cotija cheese and fresh cilantro.

ANNE'S CHICKEN CHILAQUILES ROJAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a large (10x15-inch) casserole dish.
• Combine drained tomatoes and chipotle chiles in adobo in a blender and puree until smooth.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion in hot oil until brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 minute more. Add pureed tomato-chile sauce and simmer until mixture starts to thicken. Pour in chicken broth and stir in cumin, oregano, and salt; let simmer until mixture thickens. Remove from heat.
• Mix tortilla chips and tomato-chile sauce, folding carefully to cover chips completely. You may have to do this in 2 batches.
• Cover the bottom of the casserole dish with half of the chip/sauce mixture. Sprinkle a layer of Mexican cheese and cotija cheese over top. Add shredded chicken to cover all of the chips and cheese. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with 1/2 of the green onions and 1/2 of the cilantro. Spoon 3/4 of the sour cream evenly over top. Spread with the remaining tortilla mixture then top with remaining Mexican and cotija cheeses. Cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until mixture is bubbly and cheese is melted, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve with sour cream, green onions, and cilantro.

RED CHICKEN TAMALES (TAMALES ROJOS DE POLLO)

Steps:

• Place corn husks in a bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for a few hours. Drain, place on a work surface, and cover with a clean, damp towel.
• Place chicken in a pot, season with salt, and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain chicken and shred with 2 forks.
• Heat a griddle over medium heat and toast ancho and mulato chiles until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Place in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak until soft, about 25 minutes. Combine ancho and mulato chiles, garlic, cumin seeds, and about 1/2 cup of the soaking water in a blender; blend until a thick, smooth, mole-like sauce forms, adding more water if necessary.
• Heat 1 tablespoon lard in a saucepan over medium heat and add the sauce; cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Add shredded chicken and cook until flavors are combined and chicken is heated through, about 5 minutes.
• Place remaining lard in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Add masa harina, chicken broth, baking powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, and beat until all ingredients are well combined. Test if the masa is ready by dropping a small ball of masa into a glass of cold water; if it floats, it's ready, if not, keep working the dough a little longer.
• Select 1 wide corn husk. Spread about 2 tablespoons masa mixture onto the the corn husk, filling it up to 2 inches from the bottom and 1/4 inch from the top. Add 1 tablespoon of the chicken filling in the center of the masa mixture. Fold sides of husk together, one over the other. Fold the bottom of the husk over the seam of the 2 folded sides. Repeat with remaining husks.
• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add tamales with the open side up and cook until filling is heated through and separates from the husk, about 1 hour. Let tamales rest for 15 minutes before serving.

CHICKEN ROJO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to broil.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan over high heat. Brown the chicken pieces on each side. Cover chicken with chicken broth - add chile powder, cumin, oregano, garlic and cocoa and bring to a boil.
• While it's coming to a boil, slice the top off of each tomato and place cut side down on a cookie sheet along with the onions.
• Drizzle 2 tablespoons of oil over them. Place under broiler and remove when tomato skins become very wrinkled and shriveled - about 3 to 5 minutes.
• When the tomatoes are ready, remove from broiler and let cool for 1 minute. Peel the skin off of each tomato roughly chop them and the onions.
• Add chopped tomato and onion to the chicken and sauce. Continue to simmer the sauce until the chicken is cooked through.
• If the liquid cooks off to fast, add water as needed to maintain a sauce with the chicken.
• Serve with steamed rice.