Pollo en Adobo
Tender braised chicken in a smoky, spiced chili sauce made from dried chiles and vinegar. A classic Mexican comfort dish that builds deep flavor with minimal active cooking time.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 385
- Protein
- 42g
Ingredients
- 3 whole dried guajillo chiles
- 2 whole dried ancho chiles
- 2 lbs chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
- 4 whole garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- 1
Remove the stems and seeds from both the guajillo and ancho chiles by holding each chile at the stem and pulling downward to release the seeds inside, then discard the stems.
- 2
Place the cleaned chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat and press them flat against the hot surface for 5 seconds per side, until they smell fragrant and slightly darkened — this toasts them to release their oils.
- 3
Transfer the toasted chiles to a heatproof bowl and cover them with 1.5 cups of boiling water, then let them soak for 10 minutes until very soft and easy to tear.
- 4
Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels by pressing the towels firmly against both sides of each piece, removing surface moisture so they will brown properly.
- 5
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.
- 6
Place the chicken thighs in the hot oil in a single layer, skin-side down if they have skin, and do not move them for 4 minutes until the bottoms turn golden-brown and release easily.
- 7
Flip the chicken thighs over and cook the other side for 3 minutes until browned, then remove them to a clean plate.
- 8
Pour the soaked chiles with their soaking liquid into a blender, add 4 peeled garlic cloves, 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon of cumin, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
- 9
Blend on high speed for 60 seconds until completely smooth with no chile flecks visible, then stop and scrape down the sides with a spatula and blend for 15 more seconds.
- 10
Pour the chile sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing on the solids with the back of a spoon to extract all the liquid, then discard the dry pulp left in the strainer.
- 11
Return the browned chicken thighs to the skillet and pour the strained chile sauce over them, stirring gently to coat all sides with the sauce.
- 12
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the skillet with a lid, and simmer gently for 20 minutes until the chicken is very tender and easily pierced with a fork.
- 13
Remove the skillet from heat and let it rest uncovered for 3 minutes, during which the sauce will thicken slightly and the flavors will settle.
Tools you’ll need
- 12-inch stainless steel skillet or Dutch oven with lid
- heatproof bowl
- paper towels
- blender
- fine-mesh strainer
- rubber spatula
- wooden spoon
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