Mexican Adobo Chicken with Potatoes (Pollo Adobado con Papas)

Chicken and Potatoes

• 6 large bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3½ pounds/1.6 kg; trim away excessive overhanging skin)
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (cut into 1¼-inch pieces)
• 1 large white onion (divided)
• 3 tablespoons rendered pork lard or avocado oil (divided, plus more only if needed)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1–1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth (as needed for braising and adjusting the sauce)

Red Chile Adobo

• 4 dried guajillo chiles
• 2 dried ancho chiles
• 1 dried pasilla chile
• 2 medium Roma tomatoes
• 5 garlic cloves (unpeeled)
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 8 black peppercorns
• 2 whole cloves
• ½-inch piece Mexican canela or cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano (crumbled)
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons orange juice (freshly squeezed)
• 2 teaspoons grated piloncillo or dark brown sugar
• 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• hot water (for soaking the chiles)

Lime-Cured Onion

• ½ small white onion (very thinly sliced)
• 2 tablespoons lime juice (freshly squeezed)
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

For Serving

• sesame seeds (lightly toasted)
• cilantro leaves
• lime wedges
• warm corn tortillas

Instructions

1. Prepare the Chiles: Wipe the guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles with a slightly damp paper towel. Remove the stems, open the chiles lengthwise, and shake out the seeds. Remove the firm interior veins and tear the chiles into large, relatively flat pieces.4 guajillo chiles, 2 ancho chiles, 1 pasilla chile
2. Toast the Chiles: Heat a dry comal, cast-iron skillet, or heavy griddle over medium heat. Toast the chile pieces in small batches for approximately 5–10 seconds per side, pressing them briefly against the hot surface with a spatula. prepared dried chilesprepared dried chiles
3. Soak the Chiles: Transfer the toasted chiles to a heatproof bowl and cover them with very hot water. Place a small plate over the chiles to keep them submerged and let them soak for 20 minutes.toasted chiles, hot water
4. Roast the Tomatoes: Increase the comal or skillet heat to medium-high. Add the Roma tomatoes and roast for 10–14 minutes, turning occasionally, until softened and blistered with dark brown or black patches on several sides.2 Roma tomatoes
5. Roast the Onion and Garlic: Cut half of the large white onion into two thick wedges, leaving the remaining half for the braise. Add the onion wedges and unpeeled garlic to the skillet. ½ large white onion, 5 garlic cloves½ large white onion, 5 garlic cloves
6. Cool the Aromatics: Transfer the tomatoes, onion, and garlic to a plate. Let them cool, then peel the garlic. Remove only any loose pieces of completely carbonized tomato or onion skin.roasted tomatoes, onion, and garlic
7. Toast the Sesame: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the sesame seeds and toast for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until pale golden and fragrant. Transfer them immediately to a small bowl.1 tbsp sesame seeds
8. Toast the Whole Spices: Add the cumin seeds, peppercorns, cloves, and cinnamon to the dry skillet. Toast for 15–30 seconds, shaking the pan constantly, until fragrant. Remove immediately.½ tsp cumin seeds, 8 peppercorns, 2 cloves, ½-inch cinnamon
9. Grind the Spices: Let the toasted whole spices cool briefly, then grind them finely in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.toasted whole spices
10. Drain the Chiles: Remove the softened chiles from the water. Taste a few drops of the soaking liquid. Reserve it only when it tastes pleasantly chile-flavored; discard it when noticeably bitter.softened dried chiles
11. Blend the Adobo: Add the softened chiles, roasted tomatoes, roasted onion, peeled garlic, toasted sesame, ground spices, Mexican oregano, thyme, apple cider vinegar, orange juice, piloncillo, fine sea salt, and chicken broth to a blender. prepared chiles and aromatics, 1 tbsp sesame seeds, ground spices, 1 tsp Mexican oregano, ½ tsp thyme, 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp orange juice, 2 tsp piloncillo, 1½ tsp fine sea salt, 1 cup chicken brothprepared chiles and aromatics, 1 tbsp sesame seeds, ground spices, 1 tsp Mexican oregano, ½ tsp thyme, 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp orange juice, 2 tsp piloncillo, 1½ tsp fine sea salt, 1 cup chicken broth
12. Strain the Adobo: Press the adobo through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl, using a rubber spatula or the back of a ladle. Discard the tough chile skin and coarse spice fragments left in the sieve.blended adobo
13. Reserve Clean Adobo: Measure 1¼ cups of the strained adobo into a clean airtight container. Cover and refrigerate it separately for cooking. It must not come into contact with the raw chicken.1¼ cups strained adobo
14. Season the Chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry and season both sides with the fine sea salt.6 chicken thighs, 1 tsp fine sea salt
15. Marinate the Chicken: Arrange the chicken in a nonreactive baking dish or large food-safe container. Pour the remaining adobo over it, working some beneath the skin and turning the pieces until evenly coated. seasoned chicken, remaining adoboseasoned chicken, remaining adobo
16. Prepare the Lime-Cured Onion: Combine the thinly sliced white onion, lime juice, and fine sea salt in a small bowl. Toss thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.½ small white onion, 2 tbsp lime juice, ¼ tsp fine sea salt
17. Prepare for Cooking: Remove the marinated chicken and reserved adobo from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
18. Remove the Excess Marinade: Lift the chicken from the used marinade. Wipe away the thick excess from the skin side while leaving a thin coating on the meat. Discard the marinade that touched the raw chicken.marinated chicken
19. Sear the First Batch: Heat 1 tablespoon of the lard or avocado oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Arrange half of the chicken skin-side down. 1 tbsp lard or oil, half of the chicken1 tbsp lard or oil, half of the chicken
20. Sear the Remaining Chicken: Repeat with the remaining chicken, adding another tablespoon of lard or oil only when needed. Transfer it to the plate.remaining chicken, additional lard or oil as needed
21. Brown the Potatoes: Add the remaining lard or oil to the Dutch oven. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer and cook for 5–7 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned in several places. They will not be cooked through.1½ lb Yukon Gold potatoes, remaining lard or oil
22. Brown the Onion: Cut the reserved half of the large white onion into thick wedges. Add them to the potatoes and cook for another 3 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges.remaining ½ large white onion
23. Remove the Vegetables: Transfer the browned potatoes and onion to a bowl or plate.browned potatoes and onion
24. Fry the Reserved Adobo: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the reserved clean adobo to the Dutch oven; it may spit when it reaches the hot fat. 1¼ cups reserved clean adobo1¼ cups reserved clean adobo
25. Add the Broth: Gradually stir in 1 cup chicken broth. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 minutes.1 cup chicken broth
26. Build the Braise: Return the potatoes and onion to the Dutch oven and stir them through the sauce. Arrange the chicken skin-side up over the vegetables and add the bay leaves. browned chicken, potatoes, onion, 2 bay leaves, additional broth as neededbrowned chicken, potatoes, onion, 2 bay leaves, additional broth as needed
27. Braise Covered: Cover the Dutch oven and bake for 25 minutes.assembled pollo adobado
28. Finish Uncovered: Remove the lid. Spoon a little sauce over the exposed meat and potatoes while leaving most of the chicken skin uncovered. partially braised chicken and potatoespartially braised chicken and potatoes
29. Optional Final Browning: For deeper color, broil the uncovered chicken for 1–2 minutes while watching continuously. Do not allow the adobo to burn.finished pollo adobado
30. Rest the Chicken: Transfer the chicken and potatoes to a warm serving platter and tent them loosely with aluminum foil. Let them rest while finishing the sauce.braised chicken and potatoes
31. Reduce the Sauce: Remove and discard the bay leaves. Place the Dutch oven over medium heat and simmer the adobo for 5–10 minutes, stirring frequently, until it coats the back of a spoon and falls in a broad ribbon. remaining adobo sauce, additional chicken broth as neededremaining adobo sauce, additional chicken broth as needed
32. Adjust the Balance: Taste the sauce. Add fine sea salt when needed. If the sauce tastes heavy after the salt is correct, add apple cider vinegar ½ teaspoon at a time. If the finish is too bitter, add piloncillo ½ teaspoon at a time.fine sea salt, apple cider vinegar, or piloncillo as needed
33. Sauce the Platter: Spoon the finished adobo around and partially over the chicken and potatoes, leaving some browned chicken skin visible.finished adobo sauce
34. Garnish and Serve: Drain the lime-cured onion and scatter a restrained amount over the platter. Finish with toasted sesame seeds and a few cilantro leaves. Serve with lime wedges and warm corn tortillas.lime-cured onion, toasted sesame seeds, cilantro, lime wedges, tortillas