Tacos De Pollo Recipes

Steps:

• Poach chicken: In a saucepan, add chicken and enough water to cover by 1 inch. Add 2 pinches salt, onion, garlic, and cilantro. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until opaque and cooked through, 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, make Tinga Sauce.
• Tinga Sauce: In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat until smoking, 2 minutes. Add the onions (you should hear a sizzle when they hit the pan). Stir until lightly caramelized, 20 minutes. Meanwhile, place tomatoes, peeled garlic cloves, chipotle peppers, and chicken stock in a blender. Purée on medium speed until smooth, 30 seconds; then add tomato mixture to the onions. Stir and simmer, 5 minutes.
• Remove chicken from poaching liquid. When cool enough to handle, shred by hand and add to Tinga Sauce. Check for seasoning, and add salt to taste (Chef Cámara adds 2-3 teaspoons). Simmer, 5 more minutes.
• Assembly: Divide Chicken Tinga evenly among the tortillas. Garnish each with an avocado slice and a sprinkle of sea salt before serving.

Steps:

• TO POACH THE CHICKEN:(or for a short-cut pick up a rotisserie chicken and shred it.).
• Cut the chicken breast in half.
• Put the chicken in a pot, cover with broth. Add water if needed.
• Cover and bring to a simmer.
• Continue simmering until chicken is just tender but not soft, about 25 minutes.
• Set aside to cool in broth.
• When cool, strain and strip the meat from the bone, discard the bone.
• Finish shredding chicken. If desired, you can shred some of the skin into the meat for extra flavor.
• Reserve the broth for other use, saving 3 Tablespoons for taco filling.
• ***While the chicken is poaching, make the SALSA DE JITOMATE DE MICHOACAN:.
• (Chiles and tomatoes can be broiling at the same time).
• Place the chiles under the broiler until slightly charred and blistered; set aside to cool.
• Line a small shallow pan with foil.
• Add whole, unpeeled tomatoes.
• Broil 2-inches from the heat, turning occasionally, until skin blistered and browned and flesh inside is mushy.
• Set aside to cool.
• Place the garlic, chiles, and salt together in food processor or blender.
• Process to a rough paste.
• Gradually add the unpeeled tomatoes; blending well after each addition.
• The sauce will have a rough texture.
• Add the onion and cilantro; stir well.
• TACO FILLING:.
• Heat the oil in a heavy skillet.
• Add onion and chile strips; saute for 1 minute but do not brown.
• Add tomatoes and continue cooking for 3 more minutes, until some of the juice has been absorbed.
• Add the shredded chicken, broth, and salt; cook until the mixture is almost dry and shiny, about 8 minutes.
• Set aside to cool slightly.
• THE TACOS:.
• Place 1/12 of the filling mixture across a corn tortilla; roll up and secure with a toothpick.
• Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
• Heat enough oil in a heavy frying pan to cover the bottom liberally, but not deep.
• Place the tacos a few at a time in the hot oil, open part down.
• Fry gently, turning occasionally until the tacos seal.
• Remove the toothpics and pace on serving plate.
• Open each taco slightly and insert some of the sauce, lettuce, creme fraiche, and cheese to taste.

Steps:

• Add chicken broth to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high. Remove from heat and add dried chiles. Cover and let sit until chiles have softened, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high. Add 3 of the onion quarters, reserving the last quarter for later use, and garlic to pan. Cook, flipping once, until charred, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat (do not wipe out the pot), and transfer onion and garlic to a blender. Add chicken broth, chiles, tomatoes, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, cumin, oregano, pepper, and cloves. Secure lid on blender, and remove center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a clean towel over opening. Process until combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl.
• Season chicken with remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil in to the large pot; heat over medium-high. Add chicken; cook, flipping once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Pour blended chile mixture over meat chicken and top with bay leaf. Cover and cook over medium-low until chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, chop remaining onion quarter. Set aside.
• Uncover pot, discard bay leaf, and remove chicken from chile mixture and shred. Transfer shredded chicken to a large bowl and top with 1 cup of the chile mixture; leave remaining mixture in the Dutch oven pot over medium-low.
• Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Working with 1 tortilla at a time, quickly dip tortilla into sauce until well coated. Transfer to skillet and top with 1/4 cup of the chicken. Repeat process with as many tortillas as will fit on in skillet. Cook until tortillas are golden brown and beginning to crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Fold tortillas in half and transfer to a plate. Repeat process with remaining sauce, meat chicken and tortillas.
• Divide tacos evenly among 6 plates. Top with reserved chopped onion and cilantro and serve with lime wedges.