Drunken Chicken

By bakers_delight85

Accompany this chicken with rice and a crusty bread to sop up all the sauce.

Ingredients

• For the garnish:
• 2 Tbsp. safflower or canola oil
• 2 1/2 to 3 pounds chicken thighs and breasts
• 1 white onion, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves chopped
• 4 ripe plum tomatoes or one 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup beer, preferably Dos Equis XX or an amber ale
• 2 sprigs fresh oregano, chopped, or 1 Tbsp. dried oregano, preferably Mexican
• 2-3 pickled jalapeno chiles, sliced
• 2 Tbsp. vinegar from the chiles
• 1/2 about 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 3 Tbsp. minced cilantro
• 1 firm but ripe avocado, peeled and sliced

Preparation

Step 1

Choose a good-sized skillet with a lid or a big Dutch oven large enough to hold all the chicken. Warm the oil over medium-high heat and saute the chicken pieces about 20 minutes, until golden. This may have to be done in several batches. As the pieces brown, remove them from the pan and set aside.
Add the onion to the still hot oil and cook until quite soft and brown. Add the garlic and tomatoes, and cook for 10 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan and stirring occasionally.
Return the chicken to the pan, lower the heat to medium, and add the beer, oregano, jalapenos, their vinegar, salt, and pepper. (This dish seems to benefit from an abundance of black pepper.) Stir once and cover. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until the chicken is tender and cooked through completely. The dish can be cooked in advance and reheated, covered, in a 300-degree F. oven until warmed throughout, about 20 minutes.
Serve on a wide platter or on individual plates, preferably with a lip to contain the sauce. Sprinkle cilantro on top and add slices of avocado on the side.