Americas Test Kitchen Pulled Chicken Food

FRENCH CHICKEN IN A POT (AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN)

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in large (5- to 8-quart) Dutch oven over medium heat until just smoking. Add chicken breast-side down; scatter onion, celery, garlic, bay leaf, and rosemary (if using) around chicken. Cook until breast is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Using a wooden spoon inserted into cavity of bird, flip chicken breast-side up and cook until chicken and vegetables are well browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Remove Dutch oven from heat; place large sheet of foil over pot and cover tightly with lid. Transfer pot to oven and cook until instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees when inserted in thickest part of breast and 175 degrees in thickest part of thigh, 80 to 110 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to carving board, tent with foil, and rest 20 minutes. Meanwhile, strain chicken juices from pot through fine-mesh strainer into fat separator, pressing on solids to extract liquid; discard solids (you should have about 3/4 cup juices). Allow liquid to settle 5 minutes, then pour into saucepan and set over low heat.
• Carve chicken, adding any accumulated juices to saucepan. Stir lemon juice into jus to taste. Serve chicken, passing jus at table.

AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN SPICY MEXICAN SHREDDED PORK TOSTADAS - TI

Steps:

• Bring pork, quartered onion, smashed garlic, thyme, 1 tsp salt and 6 cups water to simmer in large saucepan over medium-high heat, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover and cook until pork is tender, 75-90 minutes. Drain pork, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Discard onion, garlic and thyme. Return pork to saucepan and using potato masher, mash until shredded into rough 1/2" pieces. Set aside.
• Heat olive oil in 12" nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add shredded pork, chopped onion and oregano; cook, stirring often until pork is well browned and crisp, 7-10 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Stir in tomato sauce, chipotle powder, reserved pork cooking liquid and bay leaves; simmer until almost all liquid has evaporated, 5-7 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaves and season to taste with salt.
• To fry tostadas, heat vegetable oil in 8" heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat to 350 degrees. Using fork, poke center of each tortilla 3-4 times (to prevent puffing and allow for even cooking). Fry 1 at a time, holding tortilla down to keep it submerged. Drain on paper towel lined plate and season with salt to taste.
• Spoon small amount of shredded pork onto center of each tostada and serve with garnishes.

CRISPY FRIED CHICKEN (AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN)

Steps:

• In large zipper-lock plastic bag, combine salt, sugar, paprika, garlic cloves, and bay leaves.
• With rubber mallet or flat meat pounder, smash garlic into salt and spice mixture thoroughly.
• Pour mixture into large plastic container or nonreactive stockpot.
• Add 7 cups buttermilk and stir until salt is completely dissolved.
• Immerse chicken, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until fully seasoned, 2 to 3 hours.
• Remove chicken from buttermilk brine and shake off excess; place in single layer on large wire rack set over rimmed baking sheet.
• Refrigerate uncovered for 2 hours. (After 2 hours, chicken can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 6 hours longer).
• Measure flour into large shallow dish.
• Beat egg, baking powder, and baking soda in medium bowl; stir in remaining 1 cup buttermilk (mixture will bubble and foam).
• Working in batches of 3, drop chicken pieces in flour and shake pan to coat.
• Shake excess flour from each piece.
• Then, using tongs, dip chicken pieces into egg mixture, turning to coat well and allowing excess to drip off.
• Coat chicken pieces with flour again, shake off excess, and return to wire rack.
• Adjust oven rack to middle position, set second wire rack over second rimmed baking sheet, and place on oven rack; heat oven to 200 degrees.
• Line large plate with double layer of paper towels. Meanwhile, heat oil (oil should have 2 1/2-inch depth in pan) to 375°F over medium-high heat in large 8-quart cast-iron Dutch oven with a diameter of about 12 inches.
• Place half of chicken pieces skin-side down in oil, cover, reduce heat to medium, and fry until deep golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes; after about 3 minutes, lift chicken pieces with tongs to check for even browning; rearrange if some pieces are browning faster than others. (Spot-check oil temperature; after first 6 minutes of frying, oil should be about 325°F Adjust burner if necessary).
• Turn chicken pieces over and continue to fry, uncovered, until chicken pieces are deep golden brown on second side, 6 to 8 minutes longer.
• Using tongs, transfer chicken to paper towel-lined plate; let stand 2 minutes to drain, then transfer to rack in warm oven.
• Replace paper towel lining on plate. Return oil to 375°F and fry remaining pieces, transferring pieces to paper towel-lined plate to drain, then transferring to wire rack.
• Cool chicken pieces on wire rack (outside oven) about 5 minutes and serve.

AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

Steps:

• Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking.
• Add chicken, skin side down, and cook without moving until skin is golden brown, about 4 minutes. Using thongs, turn chicken and brown lightly on other side, about 2 minutes.
• While chicken is browning, remove and discard ribs and seeds for 2 jalapenos and mince flesh.
• In food processor, process half of poblano chilies, Anaheim chilies, and onions until consistency of chunky salsa, ten to twelve 1-second pulses, scraping down sides of workbowl halfway through.
• Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Repeat with remaining poblano chilies, Anaheim chilies, and onions and combine with first batch (do not wash food processor blade or workbowl).
• Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from Dutch oven (adding additional vegetable oil if necessary) and reduce heat to medium.
• Add minced poblanos, chili-onion mixture, garlic, cumin, coriander, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables soften, about 10 minutes.
• Remove pot from heat.
• Transfer 1 cup cooked vegetable mixture to now-empty food processor workbowl.
• Add 1 cup beans and 1 cup broth and process until smooth, about 20 seconds.
• Add vegetable-bean mixture, remaining 2 cups broth, and chicken breasts to Dutch oven and bring to boil over medium-high heat.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until chicken registers 160 degrees (175 degrees if substituting thighs) on instant-read thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Using tongs, transfer chicken to large plate.
• Stir in remaining beans and continue to simmer, uncovered, until beans are heated through and chili has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.
• Mince remaining jalapeno, reserving and mincing ribs and seeds and set aside.
• When cool enough to handle, shred chicken into bite-sized pieces, discarding bones.
• Stir shredded chicken, lime juice, cilantro, scallions, and remaining minced jalapeno (with seeds if desired) into chili and return to simmer.
• Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to serve.

COLD SESAME NOODLES WITH SHREDDED CHICKEN

Steps:

• First, make the shredded chicken. (As noted above, you can do this the day before and just take the shredded chicken out of the refrigerator before you begin the final preparations.) Boil 4 qts. of water with one tablespoon of salt. When the water reaches a boil, add the chicken and cook for about 20-25 minutes.
• Pour out the water and allow the chicken to cool on a cutting board or in a bowl.
• If you are unable to find toasted sesame seeds, toast the sesame seeds in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1 tablespoon sesame seeds in a small bowl.
• In a blender or small food processor, puree the remaining 3 tablespoons sesame seeds, peanut butter, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, hot sauce, and sugar until smooth, about 30 seconds. With the machine running, add hot water 1 tablespoon at a time until the sauce has the consistency of heavy cream, about 5 tablespoons; set the mixture aside (it can be left in the blender jar or food processor workbowl). If you wish, add the crushed red pepper for a little zing. (Start with 1/8 of a teaspoon and go from there.).
• Bring 5 quarts water and the other tablespoon of salt to a boil in a stockpot over high heat. While you wait for the water to boil, you can shred your chicken.
• Using 2 forks, shred the chicken into small, bite-sized pieces and set aside.
• Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook them according to the directions on the package (about 4 minutes for fresh and 10 minutes for dried pasta).
• Drain the noodles, return them to the pot, then rinse them again with cold running tap water until they are cool to the touch; drain them again.
• In a large bowl, toss the noodles with the sesame oil until evenly coated. Add the shredded chicken, scallions, carrot, and sauce; toss to combine. Divide among individual bowls, sprinkle each bowl with a portion of reserved sesame seeds, and cucumber decoration and serve.