Coloradito Chicken

Method13 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Wash the chayote and green beans (1 lb); peel and cut the chayote into 1-inch strips and trim and cut the beans into 1-inch pieces. Keep them separate for the final simmer. Heat the oven to 400°F / 200°C. Put the whole plantain in a foil-lined baking dish and make a couple of ½-inch slits through its skin. Bake for about 40 minutes, until cooked through. Cool until safe to handle, then peel, slice and set aside.

   Bake the plantain · 40 minUses 1 ripe plantain · 1 lb chayote squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch strips · 1 lb green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces · Water for washing the chayote and beans

2. 2

   Step 2: Heat a dry comal, griddle or skillet over medium heat. Toast the stemmed, seeded ancho and guajillo chiles for about 30–45 seconds per side, watching and turning until fragrant and lightly toasted; avoid burning them.

   Uses 6 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded · 5 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded

3. 3

   Step 3: Wash the whole tomatoes and put them in a saucepan with all the toasted chiles. Add water to cover and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer for 12–15 minutes, checking from 12 minutes, until the chiles are plump and rehydrated and the tomatoes are cooked and mushy. Keep the cooked solids and their cooking water for blending; allow them to cool enough for safe blending.

   Check the softened chiles and tomatoes · 12 minUses All the toasted ancho and guajillo chiles · 1 lb ripe Roma tomatoes · Water to wash the tomatoes and cover the chiles and tomatoes

4. 4

   Step 4: On the same dry comal or skillet, char the five unpeeled garlic cloves and the thick onion slice for about 8–10 minutes, turning several times, until charred and softened. Cool until safe to handle, then peel the garlic.

   Uses 5 garlic cloves, unpeeled · 1 white onion slice, 1½ inches thick

5. 5

   Step 5: In a small dry skillet over medium heat, toast the Ceylon cinnamon stick (1) for 1–2 minutes until fragrant, turning once. Transfer to the blender jar. Toast the cloves (3) and peppercorns for about 1 minute, moving them continuously, then transfer them. Toast the almonds for about 2 minutes until lightly browned, then the sesame seeds (3 tbsp) until lightly browned, also using a couple of minutes as a guide. Finally toast the oregano for only 5–10 seconds. Transfer each toasted ingredient to the blender jar as it finishes, without letting it burn.

   Uses 1 Ceylon cinnamon stick, 1 inch long · 3 whole cloves · 6 black peppercorns · ¼ cup slivered almonds · 3 tbsp sesame seeds · 1 tsp dried oregano

6. 6

   Step 6: To the toasted ingredients in the blender, add all the charred peeled garlic and onion, the cooked chiles and tomatoes, exactly 1 cup of their reserved cooking water, and the peeled baked plantain. Add the raisins (2 tbsp), grated piloncillo (1 tbsp) and 1 tsp of the divided salt (1 tsp). Blend for at least a couple of minutes until completely smooth, working in batches if needed. Vent the blender safely and blend only at a temperature your appliance permits. Keep the finished mole ready.

   Uses All the toasted spices, almonds, sesame and oregano · All the charred peeled garlic and onion · All the cooked chile and tomato solids, separate from their cooking water · 1 cup of the reserved chile-tomato cooking water · All the baked plantain, separate from the prepared chayote and beans · 2 tbsp raisins · 1 tbsp grated piloncillo · 1 tsp salt for the mole

7. 7

   Step 7: Cut the chicken into eight serving pieces, reserving the wings refrigerated for another use and cutting the breasts in half. Season the eight pieces with the remaining 1 tsp salt. Heat enough vegetable oil in a large casserole over medium-high heat for a ⅛-inch depth. Once hot, add the first uncrowded batch and brown its first skin side for about 3 minutes, until a crust forms and the pieces release easily. Keep the remaining seasoned raw pieces separate.

   Brown the first chicken face · 3 minUses Eight raw chicken pieces from the 3 lb whole chicken, with wings reserved separately · Remaining 1 tsp salt for the chicken · Oil for a ⅛-inch depth in the chicken pan

8. 8

   Step 8: Turn the first batch and brown its second side for about 3 minutes, until crusted. The chicken will finish cooking in the mole.

   Brown the second chicken face · 3 minUses The first pan batch and its oil, separate from the remaining seasoned raw chicken

9. 9

   Step 9: Lift the browned first batch into a large bowl, leaving the oil in the casserole. Brown the remaining chicken in uncrowded batches for about 3 minutes per side, turning when crusted and easy to release. Add every browned piece to the holding bowl. Keep the chicken and the oil left in the casserole separate.

   Uses All the browned first batch and its pan oil · Any remaining seasoned raw chicken pieces

10. 10

    Step 10: Reduce the casserole heat to medium-low. Use its lid as a shield while carefully pouring all the blended mole into the retained oil. Stir and cover with the lid slightly ajar. Cook for 6–7 minutes, checking from 6 minutes and stirring occasionally with the lid as protection, until the mole is very thick.

    Check the thickened mole · 6 minUses All the blended mole · The oil retained in the casserole, separate from the held chicken

11. 11

    Step 11: Stir the ready chicken broth (2 cups) and broken Mexican drinking chocolate (1) into the thickened mole, then return all eight browned chicken pieces. Maintain a gentle simmer and cook for another 20 minutes, stirring gently so the sauce does not catch.

    Simmer chicken in coloradito · 20 minUses All the thickened mole · All the held browned chicken, separate from the retained oil · 2 cups ready chicken broth · 1 bar Mexican drinking chocolate, 3 oz, broken into pieces

12. 12

    Step 12: Add all the prepared chayote and green beans and stir gently. Simmer for about another 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and every chicken piece reaches at least 74°C / 165°F in its thickest part, away from the bone. Continue as needed to reach both endpoints.

    Finish the vegetables and chicken · 10 minUses All the chicken and coloradito sauce · All the prepared chayote and beans, separate from the baked plantain

13. 13

    Step 13: Serve the coloradito chicken, vegetables and mole in six portions, with ready tortillas or cooked rice alongside.

    Uses The finished chicken, mole and vegetables · Ready tortillas or cooked rice for serving