Chicken Mixiotes with Citrus Guajillo Sauce
Mixiotes are traditionally packets or protein and vegetables that are steamed over open fire for large groups so each person gets their own mixiote. In this recipe we substitute parchment for traditional liners like hojas (the inside membrane of the agave plant) but if you can find them at your local specialty market use them! Finally, for this recipe we used fingerling potatoes and carrots but you can substitute/add in nopales, sweet potatoes or any other root vegetable you enjoy, must make sure to par cook first.
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INGREDIENTS FOR CHICKEN MIXIOTES
10 Bone-in/Skin-on Sanderson Farms® Chicken Thighs
4 cups Carrots, large dice
4 cups Fingerling Potatoes, halved
8 Dried Guajillo Peppers
8 cloves Garlic
1 cup Sofrito
4 tbsp Chipotle in Adobo Sauce
4 Bay Leaves
2 sticks Cinnamon
2 tsp Allspice
2 tsp Cumin
2 tsp Clove
2 cups Orange Juice
2 cups Chicken Bouillon or Stock
Salt & Pepper, to taste
PICKLED ONIONS
1.5 cups White Vinegar
1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
1 Red Onion, thinly julienned
1 Bay Leaf
1 tsp Salt
FOR ASSEMBLY
Chicken Thighs
Potatoes
Carrots
Citrus/Guajillo Sauce
Pickled Onions
Cilantro
Scallions
Lime
Half Sheet Pan Parchment Paper Sheets
Butcher's Twine
DIRECTIONS FOR MIXIOTES
1. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste and sear, turning once, until browned on both sides. Set aside chicken on paper towels until it's time to assemble the Mixiotes.
2. Heat an oven to 425°F and oven roast the carrots and potatoes for 15-20 minutes or until barely cooked through. A toothpick should not run through cleanly when they are done. Reserve with the chicken until you are ready to assemble the Mixiotes.
3. In a dry pan, toast the guajillo peppers, garlic and cinnamon until the peppers are blistered and the garlic is browned through. Add stock, bay leaves and orange juice to the pan and reduce by half over medium high heat.
4. Remove the cinnamon from the pan and pour the remaining contents into a blender.
5. Add the sofrito, chipotles, allspice, clove, and cumin to the blender. Puree until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reserve until ready to assemble the Mixiotes.
FOR PICKLED ONIONS
1. Combine the white vinegar, sugar, salt and bay leaf in a small saucepan and bring to a boil while stirring to dissolve the sugar.
2. Pour over julienned onions in a nonreactive container (Pyrex works well)
3. Allow to pickle for at least 60 minutes prior to using. Reserve refrigerated until using.
ASSEMBLY METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
2. Lay out the parchment paper and top with the carrots and potatoes then place a chicken thigh on top. Drizzle the Guajillo Citrus sauce over it all, bring the sides together and tie the bundle with butchers twine.
3. Oven bake for 40-50 minutes at 300°F. A thermometer can be inserted into the parchment bundle to check the doneness of the chicken thighs. Chicken thighs are done when they have reached a minimum of 175°F internal temperature.
4. When finished baking, allow the bundles to cool for 5-10 minutes. Then untie the twine or cut away with kitchen scissors.
5. Top each mixiote with more of the citrus guajillo sauce, pickled onions, scallions, cilantro and lime. Serve immediately!
