CHICKEN MOLCAJETE RECIPE - (4/5)

Chicken Molcajete Recipe - (4/5) image

Provided by á-3050

Number Of Ingredients 22

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Ingredients

Optional Additions for Garnishing and Serving:
Serves 2-3 Adults
2 Slice of Bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 1/2 T. Vegetable or Canola Oil
1 lb. Chicken Tenderss or Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts trimmed and cut
into strips
1/2 large Onion (sweet), sliced into strips
1 handful of colored Bell Pepper slices (red, green, orange, yellow - your
choice
1 large Tomato, cut into about 8 wedges
1 large head of Garlic (still in the paper skin)
1 1/2 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 8 oz. can of Tomato Sauce
2 - 3 C. of Chicken Stock/Broth
1/2 Can (about 1 cup) of Mild Red Enchilada Sauce
Seasonings - Salt, Pepper, Cumin, Ancho Chile Powder, Oregano
1 Ripe Avacado
1 -2 Limes, juiced
Queso Fresco Mexican Crumbling Cheese
Shredded Mexican "Quesadilla" Cheese (could substitute Mozerella)
Tortillas
Chopped Cilantro, Sour Cream (with lime zest)

Steps:

Start by Roasting the Garlic. You can have this going the whole time you are chopping, trimming and doing the other prep. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Chop only the top of the garlic off, exposing all the little "cells" of garlic cloves. Line a small pan with aluminum foil and place the garlic clove in the middle. Pour the olive oil over the garlic, allowing it to go down into the cloves. Close up the aluminum foil, and bake for about 45 minutes in the oven. The garlic will become almost as creamy as butter, and the flavor will mellow out tremendously. No longer will the caramelized roasted garlic have the "bite" associated with raw garlic. After baking and cooling, you can take the whole garlic head, turn it over and squeeze out the soft roasted garlic. While the garlic is in the oven, start on chicken and veggie prep. Trim the chicken of any fat and cut into strips if using whole breasts. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, ancho chili powder and lots of cumin. Watch the ancho chili powder - it's hot. Cut the veggies into strips, the tomatoes into wedges. Start the cooking. Cook bacon pieces until brown and crisp, then remove to another plate, leaving the drippings. Add canola oil to the bacon fat and then sear the chicken. Flip to the other side when golden brown for a total time of about 7-8 minutes. Next, add the veggies to the chicken, garlic last. Give it all a good stir. Add the tomato and enchilada sauces, then the chicken stock. Simmer for about 10 minutes, adjusting the seasoning and adding a bit of oregano. You can use Mexican oregano if you can find it. Put it all together. To the hot molcajete (put it in the oven if you don't routinely have use of an open fire like in Mexico), add the lime juice. Before serving garnish with a ripe avocado that has been sliced and drizzled with lemon juice and fresh chopped cilantro, sour cream or creme fraiche, limes and cheeses. Serve with charred tortillas. Serve with tortillas.