- 24
- 150 mins
Ingredients
- Variation (Serves 6):
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 1/2 pounds trimmed, skinless, bone-in chicken thighs
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 3 canned chipotles in adobo, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/3 cup chili powder
- 1 Tbs cumin
- 1 Tbs corriander
- 24 corn tortillas
- 2 ounces Cotija cheese, crumbled
- Sliced scallions and chopped cilantro, for garnish
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 white onion, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 cups chicken stock
- One 14-ounce can tomato puree
- 1 oregano sprig
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 1/2 pounds skinless whole chicken legs
- Twelve 5-inch flour tortillas
- 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- Kosher salt
- Pepper
- Cilantro, lime wedges and sliced onion, for serving
Preparation
Step 1
Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper, add it to the skillet and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned, about 12 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and pour off the fat in the skillet.
Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet along with the onion. Cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is lightly browned and softened, 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin and corriander and cook until fragrant, 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the chipotles and the broth and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened and slightly reduced, 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°. Transfer the sauce to a food processor and let cool for 15 minutes. Puree until smooth and season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Bake the chicken uncovered in the center of the oven for about 45 minutes, until the meat is tender and the sauce is very thick and darkened around the edges. Wrap the tortillas in foil and warm them in the oven for about 10 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the sauce and shred the meat; discard the bones. Return the chicken meat to the sauce. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of chicken onto each tortilla and sprinkle with the crumbled cheese. Garnish the chicken tacos with the scallions and chopped cilantro and serve hot.
Variation:
In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil. Add the onion, garlic, cumin and coriander. Cook over moderately high heat until the onion is softened. Add the stock, tomato puree, oregano and bay leaves; bring to a boil. Add the chicken, cover partially and simmer until cooked, 35 to 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°. In batches, fold the tortillas in half and stuff them between the cups of an inverted muffin tin to form shells. Bake for 15 minutes, until crisp.
Remove the chicken from the sauce and shred the meat. Return the meat to the sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and oregano sprig. Stir in the vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Serve in the taco shells with cilantro, lime and onion.
Make Ahead:
The chicken tinga can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat gently before serving.