Chicken Pipian with Mexican Rice

Chicken Pipian with Mexican Rice


From Jair Cruz

Edible Grande Traverse

Serves 4

Chicken



1 whole chicken, cut into pieces salt



½ teaspoon Mexican oregano



1 medium onion, chopped



6 cloves garlic



½ pound shelled pumpkin seeds



6 dried guajillo peppers, seeds removed



2 fresh tomatoes



¼ cup oil



Place chicken pieces in a pot and add water to just cover. Add salt, oregano, half of the onion and 3 cloves garlic, and simmer about 20–30 minutes, until chicken is cooked and tender. Turn off heat and skim off fat.



Roast pumpkin seeds and guajillo peppers together on top of stove until you start to smell them and the pumpkin seeds start to pop, being careful not to burn. Remove from heat.



Bring a pan of water to boil, then drop tomatoes in and cook them until the skins crack. Drain.



Put roasted pumpkin seeds and peppers into a blender with tomatoes and salt to taste. Blend until mixture makes a thick paste.



Heat oil in a deep pan on top of stove. Add remaining onion and sauté until it starts to brown. Add paste from blender and one cup of water. Add chicken pieces and simmer 15–20 minutes, until ingredients are heated through and the flavors have time to blend.



Rice



2 tablespoons oil



1 small onion, diced



½ teaspoon ground cumin



1 cup rice



salt



Heat oil in a saucepan; add onion, ground cumin and rice. Cook, stirring often, until rice begins to get a little clear-colored on the outside. Add enough water to cover rice and salt to taste. Cover with lid and simmer on low until rice is tender. Serve rice on the side with the hot chicken.