Ancho Chile Chicken Thighs Food

CUMIN AND ANCHO CHICKEN

Steps:

• Toss chicken with ancho chile powder, cumin, and 2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl to coat. Cover and chill for 2 hours. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with a thin layer of oil. Working in batches, place thighs in skillet in a single layer (do not crowd). Cover and cook until a crust forms, about 5 minutes. Turn; cook, uncovered, until thighs are just cooked through, 3-4 minutes longer. Transfer to a platter; let rest for 5 minutes.
• Cut chicken into 1/2" cubes. Transfer with any accumulated juices to a medium bowl. Season with salt. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Let cool slightly. Cover; chill. Rewarm before serving.

GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH MANGO-ANCHO SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine mango, lime juice, honey, ancho chile powder, and salt in the bowl of a small food processor; pulse until smooth. Remove 1/4 cup of the sauce to a small bowl and whisk in rice wine vinegar and olive oil to make a marinade. Place remaining sauce in the refrigerator.
• Place chicken thighs in a resealable plastic bag and drizzle with mango-ancho marinade. Seal the bag and marinate in the refrigerator, 2 hours to overnight.
• Twenty minutes before grilling, remove chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Discard the remaining marinade.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Place chicken on the hot grill, skin-side down, and grill for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip chicken over and grill on the other side for 3 to 4 minutes. Continue flipping every 3 to 4 minutes until an instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), 22 to 25 minutes total. Turn grill to low heat and brush both sides of the chicken with reserved mango-ancho sauce, grilling an additional 1 to 2 minutes.

CHICKEN TAMALES

Steps:

• Soak the corn husks in a bowl of hot water, using a plate to keep them submerged, until pliable, 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Bring the bouillon powder and 4 cups water to a simmer in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the chicken and simmer until cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the chicken and let cool; cut into small pieces. Reserve the broth.
• Puree the cilantro and 1 1/4 cups of the reserved broth in a food processor until smooth (save the remaining broth for another use). Transfer to a medium pot. Add the garlic, cumin and salsa and bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook until slightly reduced, about 12 minutes. Stir in the chicken and season with salt. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• Make the dough: Soak the ancho chile in hot water until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain the chile, then mince to make a paste. Combine the chile paste, masa harina, lard, 2 2/3 cups warm water and 2 teaspoons salt
• in a bowl. Mix with your hands (or use a mixer with the paddle attachment) 10 to 15 minutes, or until a marble-size ball of dough floats in water.
• Drain the husks and pat dry. Starting 1/2 inch from the wide end, spread about 3 tablespoons of the dough down a husk, leaving a 1-inch border on the sides. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the chicken filling down the center of the dough, then fold in the sides of the husk, wrapping the dough around the filling. Fold up the narrow end of the husk. Repeat with the remaining husks, dough and filling.
• Set a steamer basket in a large pot filled with 1 to 2 inches of water. Arrange the tamales standing up in the steamer, folded-side down. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover and steam until the tamales pull away from the husks, about 1 hour. Remove from the steamer and let cool slightly before unwrapping.

GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH ANCHO-TEQUILA GLAZE

Steps:

• Soak wood chips in water 30 minutes; drain well. Preheat grill to medium-high heat using both burners. After preheating, turn the left burner off (leave the right burner on). Pierce the bottom of a disposable aluminum foil pan several times with the tip of a knife. Place pan on heat element on heated side of grill; add wood chips to pan. Let chips stand for 15 minutes or until smoking.
• Combine the chile powder and next 5 ingredients (through salt) in a medium bowl. Add chicken to bowl; toss well. Add oil to bowl; toss well.
• Place syrup and next 5 ingredients (through red pepper) in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cook until mixture is reduced to 1/2 cup and begins to thicken (about 3 minutes). Reserve syrup mixture.
• Place chicken, meaty side down, on grill rack coated with cooking spray over left burner (indirect heat). Brush chicken with 2 tablespoons syrup mixture; grill 15 minutes. Turn chicken over. Brush with 2 tablespoons syrup mixture; grill 15 minutes. Turn chicken over and move to direct heat; grill 5 minutes or until done. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with remaining syrup mixture and lime wedges.