Best Chicken Cotija Recipes

CUMIN CRUSTED CHICKEN WITH COTIJA AND MANGO-GARLIC SAUCE WITH GREEN ONION PESTO MASHED POTATOES

Steps:

• Whisk together the whole cumin, lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, honey, and pepper in a medium baking dish. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover, and marinate for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat a large ovenproof saute pan over medium high heat. Remove chicken from marinade and wipe off any excess. Combine the ground cumin, cotija, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Dust the chicken on the skin side with the mixture.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Place the chicken, skin side down, in the pan and cook until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn over and place in the oven. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until just cooked through.
• Serve drizzled with the Mango Garlic Sauce and with the Green Onion Pesto Mashed Potatoes.
• Combine chicken stock, peppercorns, and garlic in a medium saucepan and cook until reduced to 3 cups. Strain into a bowl.
• Place both vinegars in a separate medium saucepan and cook until reduced by 1/2. Add the sugar and mango puree, and reduce until the sauce coats the back of a spoon thickly.
• Add the reduced chicken stock and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat until thickened, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.
• Place potatoes in a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Cook until soft, about 25 to 30 minutes. Drain well and run through a food mill into a large bowl. Stir in the butter and cream and mix until combined. Swirl in the Green Onion Pesto and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Combine pumpkin seeds, garlic, spinach, and cilantro in food processor and process until smooth. Add green onions and lime juice, and process until smooth.
• With the motor running, slowly add the oil. Add the Parmesan, honey, salt, and pepper, and pulse several times until combined.

CHICKEN COTIJA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a glass baking dish with vegetable cooking spray.
• Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat; brown chicken on both sides. Place chicken in prepared baking dish. Mix together the tomato sauce and taco seasoning in a small bowl. Pour over chicken breasts. Sprinkle cheeses evenly over top.
• Bake in preheated oven until chicken has fully cooked and cheese has browned, 20 to 30 minutes.

FRIED ORGANIC CHICKEN TAMALES WITH RED CHILE AND COTIJA

Steps:

• For the chicken: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place chicken on a half-sheet tray. Sprinkle all over with salt and pepper, then place skin-side up. Roast until cooked through, about 40 minutes. Let cool. Pull off skin and remove meat from bone. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• For the masa: Put masa in a bowl and add duck fat, plus a fat pinch each of salt and pepper. Mix until integrated. Add 1/2 cup water to help make a smooth, pliable mass, which will be easy to spread. Set aside.
• For the chile verde: Place tomatillos, garlic, cilantro, onion, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper in a medium saucepot and add enough water to cover. Place pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook until tomatillos are soft and color deepens, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Pull ingredients from water and place in a blender. (Some liquid is fine.) Blend until smooth and season to taste.
• Return chile verde to the same saucepan and add the pulled chicken. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• For the fried chicken tamale: Place a corn husk in the palm of your hand. It should just cover your hand; trim down if necessary so not overly large. Place a wooden kitchen spoonful of masa (approximately 6 tablespoons) in center of husk. Smooth masa to the edges of the husk using back of spoon. Place 4 tablespoons chicken chile verde mixture in middle of masa. Put tamale on a counter and fold in both long sides, then tuck in bottom and top of husk to form a neat package. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
• Using a steam pot or hotel pan with perforated insert, fill pot with water to bottom of perforated insert. Place a layer of tamales in the insert, being careful not to crowd or stack them. Cover pot with a lid or aluminum foil. Allow the pan to steam over medium-high heat and cook tamales for about 35 minutes. Let tamales cool.
• Warm Red Chile Sauce in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Preheat duck fat in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F.
• Remove husk from a tamale. Place in fryer basket and cook until exterior of tamale is crispy, about 3 minutes. Smear 1 ounce Red Chile Sauce on bottom of a plate. Place tamale in center and garnish with Cotija. Serve hot. Repeat with remaining tamales.
• Remove stems from chile pods and shake out seeds. Place chiles in a medium saucepan along with garlic, onion, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes. Strain and discard excess water to help remove bitterness. Place remaining contents in a blender and puree until smooth.

CHICKEN FLAUTAS WITH COTIJA AND SALSA ROJA

Steps:

• 1. Combine spices and 2 teas. of salt and sprinkle evenly over chicken breasts. Heat 2 Tbl. oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, and add chicken, sliced onion, and 1 clove garlic. Cook until the chicken is browned and no longer pink in the center, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken, onion and garlic to a medium bowl and allow to cool until able to handle.
• 2. While the chicken rests, make the salsa roja; Puree the chopped onion, remaining garlic, tomatoes, jalapeño, and cilantro in a blender until smooth, about one minute. Add 1 Tlb. of oil to the sauté pan and heat tomato mixture until slightly thickened and reduced to two cups, about 18-20 minutes. Season the mixture to taste and transfer salsa to a serving bowl, reserving 1/3 cup.
• 3. Using your fingers, shred the cooled chicken, and toss with the reserved salsa and the crumbled cotija, mixing well. Season with salt to taste and set aside.
• 4. Preheat oven to 435^, with racks in upper and lower thirds, and line two 10x15 inch rimmed baking trays with foil. Wipe out saute pan and add remaining oil. Fry tortillas one at a time for 2-3 seconds per side until just soft; remove from oil and place on one of the prepared trays in sets of four. Place 2 Tbs. filling in a vertical line down the center of each softened tortilla, and roll up tightly.Place seam-side down on the second tray, leaving 2 inches of space between each flauta. Repeat with remaining tortillas, arranging half on each tray. Bake 30-35 minutes, alternating racks and rotating trays halfway through cooking time until flautas are crisp and deep golden. Serve warm with salsa roja on the side.

CHICKEN FLAUTAS WITH COTIJA AND SALSA ROJA

Steps:

• Combine spices and 2 tsp. of salt and sprinkle evenly over chicken breasts. Heat 2 Tbs. oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, and add chicken, sliced onion, and 1 clove garlic. Cook until the chicken is browned and no longer pink in the center, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken, onion and garlic to a medium bowl and allow to cool until able to handle.
• While the chicken rests, make the salsa roja: Puree the chopped onion, remaining garlic, tomatoes, jalapeño, and cilantro in a blender until smooth, about one minute. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the sauté pan and heat tomato mixture until slightly thickened and reduced to two cups, about 18-20 minutes. Season the mixture to taste and transfer salsa to a serving bowl, reserving 1/3 cup.
• Using your fingers, shred the cooled chicken, and toss with the reserved salsa and the crumbled cotija, mixing well. Season with salt to taste and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 425°, with racks in upper and lower thirds, and line two 11"x17" rimmed baking trays with foil. Wipe out pan and add remaining oil. Fry tortillas one at a time for 2-3 seconds per side until just soft; remove from oil and place on one of the prepared trays in sets of four. Place 2 Tbs. filling in a vertical line down the center of each softened tortilla, and roll up tightly. Place seam-down on the second tray, leaving 2 inches of space between each flauta. Repeat with remaining tortillas, arranging half on each tray. Bake 30-35 minutes, alternating racks and rotating trays halfway through cooking time until flautas are crisp and deep golden. Serve warm with salsa roja on the side.
• Note: If spicy isn't your thing, remove the seeds and ribs from the jalapeño prior to pureeing.