Monday’s Bread Bowl: Spicy Chicken Pozole

One hot number

Try making this dish if you’re bored with traditional chicken meals.  Each spoonful is packed with peppery and zesty flavors.  Here’s the recipe:

What you will need:

1 baking spatula

1 cutting board

1 large pot w/lid

1 medium-sized sauce pan

1 blender

2 large tomatoes

1 large onion, sliced

1 large bowl

5 whole garlic toes

3 tbspns sriracha sauce

3 tbsns vinegar

½ tspn allspice, crushed (optional)

4 large dried guajillo peppers

3 tbspns vegetable oil

2 tspns sugar

3 tspns coarse salt

6 chipotle peppers from can, sliced

6 – 8 chicken drumsticks

7 cups water

1 (30 oz) can hominy, drained

Pinch of dried oregano

Toppings:

6 radishes, finely chopped

Sliced lime wedges

1 cup green onions, sliced small

3 tbspns fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Sour Cream

Shredded Cheese

Cooking and Directions:

Place medium-sized sauce pan filled with 4 cups water on high heat.  Add in drumsticks and let ingredients reach a rolling boil.  Lower heat to medium then let contents cook for another 15-20 minutes until drumsticks are fully cooked.  Pull out drumsticks.  Let them cool then discard skin and debone each piece.  Chop meat into bite-sized pieces then set aside.  Also, set aside newly made chicken broth for later use.    

Preheat oven at 450 degrees.  Score the bottom of each tomato and place on foil-lined baking sheet.  Roast tomatoes until softened and slightly scorched all over.  Meanwhile, split open guajillo chiles and remove seeds.  Toast peppers in cast iron skillet until odor permeates.  Place peppers in bowl of cold water until soft.  Next, toast onions and garlic in cast iron skillet for 10 minutes until charred on both sides.  Combine, skinned tomatoes, onion, oregano, garlic, sriracha, chiles, and all spice in blender.  Pulse blend until smooth.  Heat cooking oil at medium-high heat in large pot and pour in puree.  Cook for 5 minutes until puree thickens.  Add 1 cup water, sugar, vinegar, chipotles, and salt.  Let ingredients simmer for another 30 minutes.  Finally, toss in chicken, hominy, chicken stock, and more salt to taste.  Let pozole simmer on low for another 15 minutes then it’s ready to serve.  Have toppings ready to add to individual servings of pozole.