Fast Track Chicken Pibil Sandwich

Method7 steps · about 40 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Have the measured citrus juices, broth, cooked shredded chicken and ready sandwich toppings available before cooking. Preheat the broiler and line a baking sheet with foil. Put the whole tomatoes, quarter onion and unpeeled garlic (3) on it, 3–4 inches below the heat. Broil for about 4–5 minutes on the first side, turn and broil for about 4–5 minutes on the other side, watching closely. The skins should blister and char, and the tomatoes should soften and release their juices. Remove the tray from the heat.

   Uses ½ lb ripe tomatoes · ¼ red onion, outer layer removed · 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled

2. 2

   Step 2: Once cool enough to handle, quarter the tomatoes and put them in a blender with all their tray juices. Peel the broiled garlic and add it with the broiled onion, all the salt and 1 cup of the ready chicken broth. Blend until completely smooth.

   Uses All the broiled vegetables and their tray juices · ½ tsp kosher or coarse sea salt · 1 cup of the ready chicken broth

3. 3

   Step 3: Heat all 2 tablespoons of canola oil over medium heat in a casserole or soup pot until hot but not smoking. Add the tomato purée carefully and partly cover the pot to contain splatters. Cook for 7–8 minutes, checking from 7 minutes and stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and darkens considerably.

   Check the thickening tomato sauce · 7 minUses All the smooth tomato purée · 2 tbsp canola oil

4. 4

   Step 4: Blend all the grapefruit, orange and lime juices (¼ cup) with the vinegar, oregano, cumin (⅛ tsp), allspice (¼ tsp), black pepper (to taste) to taste, chopped achiote paste (2 tbsp) and remaining 1 cup of chicken broth until completely smooth.

   Uses ¼ cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice · ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice · ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice · ¼ cup white distilled vinegar · ½ tsp dried oregano · ⅛ tsp ground cumin · ¼ tsp ground allspice · Ground black pepper to taste

5. 5

   Step 5: Stir all the citrus-achiote purée into the thickened tomato sauce. Bring back to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes before adding the cooked chicken.

   Simmer the pibil sauce · 5 minUses All the thickened tomato sauce · All the citrus-achiote purée

6. 6

   Step 6: Stir all 6 cups of ready cooked shredded chicken into the sauce. Cook uncovered for about 5 minutes, stirring, until the chicken absorbs most of the sauce and is very moist but not wet or soupy. Require the reheated chicken to reach 74°C / 165°F throughout, continuing as needed beyond the guide.

   Heat the chicken in pibil sauce · 5 minUses All the simmered pibil sauce · 6 cups ready cooked shredded chicken

7. 7

   Step 7: Split the ready soft buns. Scoop about 1 cup of hot chicken pibil onto each bottom half, add ready avocado crema and a few ready pickled red onions, then close with the top half. Serve hot as 4–5 portions, keeping any remaining chicken pibil separate.

   Uses About 1 cup of the hot prepared chicken pibil for each sandwich · Ready soft buns for the sandwiches · Ready avocado crema for topping · Ready Yucatecan pickled red onions for topping