CHICKEN GORDITAS

Steps:

• To cook the chicken, place the chicken in a large pot and cover with 1 inch of water. Add to the pot the cilantro, jalapeño, salt, and peppercorns. Bring the pot to a boil and then turn the heat down to low. Simmer uncovered for 45 minutes. Remove the chicken with tongs from the water and place in a large bowl. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones and shred the chicken. Toss the chicken meat with 1/4 cup of the cooking broth (reserving the rest of the broth for another use if you prefer), then taste and add salt if needed.
• Alternatively, if you want to skip making the chicken you can shred an already cooked 3-pound chicken and toss with 1/4 cup of chicken broth.
• Meanwhile, to make the salsa, place the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and jalapeños in a medium pot. (Don't worry about chopping the garlic, onion or jalapeños, as you'll be putting it in a blender or food processor after it cooks.) Bring the pot to a boil and then turn the heat down to low and simmer for 15 minutes or until the onion, garlic and jalapeño are softened.
• Turn off the heat and cool for 10 minutes. When cool, pour into a blender and add the cilantro and cumin. Puree until well blended and everything is chopped. Add salt to taste.
• Pour the salsa back into the pan and add the shredded chicken. Stir to combine the chicken with the salsa, turn the heat on low, and cook the two together until fragrant, about 5 minutes. You can add a squeeze a fresh lime juice if you like. (I realize they're expensive right now, so I've made this optional.) Cover the pot and turn off the heat. (After you make the gorditas, you can reheat the chicken on low if it's not warm enough for your tastes.)
• To make the gorditas, whisk together the masa harina, flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the lard and water and stir until a soft, smooth ball is formed. If the dough is too dry, add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time. Divide the dough into 12 balls. Roll or press out each one until it's about 4-inches wide.
• Cooking the gorditas is a two-step process, where you first cook them in a skillet before frying. So first, in a lightly oiled skillet, on medium heat cook each gordita for 1 minute on each side. Transfer the cooked gorditas to a tray and repeat until all are cooked.
• For the frying, line a sheet pan with paper towels. Heat up 1/2 inch of oil in a skillet to 350°F. One at a time, gently lower the gordita into the oil and fry on one side for about 30 seconds or until it's golden brown and puffed. With tongs, flip the gordita and fry for 10 more seconds. Remove from the oil and drain on the paper-towel-lined tray. Repeat until all are fried.
• When cool enough to handle, split open the gordita by slicing it on one end with a small, sharp knife halfway around its circumference. Stuff the gorditas with chicken, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese, and serve with salsa on the side for garnishing on top.
• Notes: It's best to serve the gorditas immediately after frying, though if you want to do some of the work ahead, you could do the first skillet step and then store the gorditas for a couple of days in the refrigerator, then bring back to room temperature before frying.
• You can also make the chicken ahead of time-it will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days.