Orange-Guajillo Chili Pulled Chicken

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Chilorio, a pulled pork from the Mexican state of Sinaloa, inspired this dish. But instead of the traditional pork shoulder, we used faster-cooking chicken thighs. Fresh orange juice amplified the fruity notes of the guajillo chilies while giving the sauce a natural sweetness; a little vinegar and honey helped the balance. Serve the chicken with Mexican rice or tortillas, or use it as a filling for tacos. Diced white onion, sliced radishes and/or crumbled queso fresco are excellent garnishes.

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  • 4

Ingredients

  • 1 1 1-inch ounce guajillo chilies (5 medium), stemmed, seeded and torn into 1-inch pieces
  • 1-1/2 1-1/2 1-1/2 cups orange juice
  • 5 5 5 large garlic cloves, peeled
  • 2 2 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 2 2 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 2 2 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1 1 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 2 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken, trimmed

Preparation

Step 1

In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, toast the chilies, pressing with a wide metal spatula and flipping halfway through, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Transfer to a small bowl and pour in the juice; press on the chilies to submerge. Let stand until the chilies have softened, about 10 minutes. Set the skillet aside.

In a blender, combine the chilies and juice, garlic, vinegar, coriander, honey, oregano and 1 teaspoon salt. Puree until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour the puree into the same skillet and bring to a boil over medium-high.

Nestle the chicken into the sauce, cover and cook over medium-low, stirring and flipping the chicken halfway through, until tender and opaque when cut into with a paring knife, about 20 minutes.

Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a large plate and set aside until cool enough to handle, 10 to 15 minutes. Using 2 forks, shred into bite-size pieces.

While the chicken cools, bring the sauce to a simmer over medium-high and cook, stirring, until thickened and reduced to 1 cup, about 10 minutes. Stir the shredded chicken into the sauce, then taste and season with salt.

Makes 4 servings.

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