Spicy Vanilla Chicken

With valentine’s Day coming up soon, I decided to repost this recipe in case you missed it.  It’s a simple, easy, elegant and sexy dish.

Cathy Gigante Brown made the recipe last night and sent me her picture of the dish. These are her comments:

In the original recipe, the chicken is cooked in water (I use chicken stock )until the stock is consumed and the chicken starts browning by itself and only then add the orange juice and other ingredients. Suit yourself.  We neglcted to take photographs so I am putting up this logo that will be replaced if anyone sends me a picture of their pollo con chile seco.

(Recipe:  Adapted from Zarela’s Veracruz, Houghton Mifflin 2001

Makes  4 – 5 servings

1 – 2 tablespoons (or to taste) large dried chiltepín chiles

4 chicken legs and 4 chicken thighs, or 4 pounds drumettes

2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons home-rendered lard or vegetable oil

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/4 cup cider vinegar or other mild-flavored vinegar
1 tablespoon butter
Juice of six oranges

1 cup chicken stock

1 vanilla bean, split

Place the chiles in a small heavy skillet over very low heat.  Let them toast, stirring constantly, until they make a hollow sound, about 12-15 minutes. They should be brittle but only faintly darkened, not burned. Let cool slightly and grind to a fine powder using an electric spice or coffee grinder (or if you have one, a Mexican stone molcajete).

Season the chicken with salt and freshly-ground black pepper.
Heat the lard or vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken pieces until golden, about 3 minutes on each side.

When the chicken is browned, pour off any excess fat from the pot and return to medium heat.  Sprinkle the ground chiles and black pepper over the chicken and, turning the pieces to coat evenly.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add the vinegar, butter, orange juice, chicken stock, and scrape in the seeds of the vanilla bean and the bean; cook, uncovered, for  20 – 25 minutes more, or until the sharpness of the vinegar is mellowed and the sauce has reduced to a syrupy glaze.. Serve hot.