Best Recipe for New Mexican-Style Soft Tacos with Hacked Chicken and Salsa Verde
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds chicken legs and thighs, skin removed
- Salt
- 3 tablespoons ancho chile powder
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 ancho chile, coarsely chopped
- 2 New Mexican chilies, coarsely chopped
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 6 sprigs cilantro, plus more chopped, for garnish
- 12 flour tortillas, warmed
- Salsa Verde, recipe follows
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 jalapeno, coarsely diced
- 8 tomatillos, husked and coarsely chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and ancho chile powder. Sear, skin-side down, in the oil until golden brown. Turn over and brown on the other side. Remove the chicken to a plate.
- Add the onion to the pan and cook until lightly golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the chicken back to the pot, add the chiles, stock, and cilantro, and bring to a boil. Cover and roast in the oven until the chicken easily falls away from the bone, about 40 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and strain the cooking liquid into a bowl.
- When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove bones and cut or shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Place the reserved cooking liquid into a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the shredded chicken, turn off the heat and let warm.
- Divide the warm chicken among the warm tortillas, top with Salsa Verde and chopped cilantro.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and jalapeno and cook until soft. Add the tomatillos and cook until soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a blender, add the lime juice, honey, and cilantro, and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
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