Chicken Mixiote Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat and cook the tomatillos, onion, garlic.
• Add the chiles and cook a few minutes on low heat, being careful not to burn them.
• Add the spices, pour the orange juice, cook for 2 minutes to soften the peppers, season with salt. Cool slightly.
• Blend the previous preparation until a thick sauce is obtained.
• In a bowl add the chicken pieces, pour the sauce, and mix.
• On a sheet of aluminum foil place an avocado leaf on top, then the piece of chicken, some nopales, and close.
• Place the mixiotes on the steam rack and cook for 90 minutes.

Steps:

• Salt and pepper the chicken pieces and prick them in several places with a fork. Puree the orange juice, achiote paste, garlic and spices and pour this mixture from the blender into a large bowl. Place the chicken pieces in this marinade and put them aside while you make the sauce.
• Put the chiles, in a saucepan with the 3 1/2 cups water and bring them to a boil. When they have reached the boiling point, turn down the heat and let them simmer, covered, for about twenty minutes. Puree them in a blender with the onion, tomato and salt to taste. Strain back into saucepan and simmer the sauce for about 10 minutes.
• If using mixiotes, soak them for 5-10 minutes until pliable. Into each mixiote or plastic baggie, put one avocado leaf, a piece of marinated chicken, a few potatoes and carrots, and a few spoonfuls of sauce. Tie each package with twine or string and, if using plastic baggies, wrap each bundle in foil, sealing well.
• Put water into a large pot with a rack (or, if you have one, a tamale steamer) and place the mixiotes on the rack. Cover tightly and steam 1 1/2 -2 hours. Thighs will take longer than breasts, so if you're using breasts, check one package after the first 1 1/2 hours. To serve, unwrap the foil if you used it, and place each mixiote in a soup or stew bowl. Each person unties and unwraps his own mixiote, letting the liquid flow into the bowl with the chicken. Serve with sliced avocado and tortillas. The word mixiotes refers to one of the most delectable dishes within the wide spectrum of Mexican cooking, as well as the wrapping used to contain these steamed individual meat stews.
• This wrapping, also known as a mixiote, is the outermost layer of a maguey leaf, called a penca. If you don't live near a Mexican market where you can buy mixiotes, you can use papel para mixiotes, which are simply plastic baggies, a commonly used substitute. If you use plastic baggies, wrap each bagged bundle in foil before steaming.
• This recipe for Mixiotes serves/makes 12.

Steps:

• Sprinkle the lamb with 2 teaspoons salt on both sides and transfer to a nonreactive bowl or large resealable plastic bag. Set aside at room temperature while you prepare the adobo.
• Set a dry skillet or comal over medium heat. Add the guajillos, allspice, garlic, anchos, moritas, cloves and cinnamon and toast until the chiles are dark in spots and the spices are fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. When cool enough to handle, peel the garlic.
• Add the toasted chiles to a small saucepan with enough water to cover them by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, pressing on the chiles to submerge them. Remove from the heat, cover and let stand until the chiles are fully softened and pulpy, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chiles to a blender (discard the soaking water). Add the reserved toasted spices and peeled garlic, broth, vinegar, oregano, thyme, onion and 2 teaspoons salt. Puree until completely smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup adobo in a container and refrigerate. Pour the rest of the adobo all over the lamb until completely coated. Cover the bowl or seal the bag and marinate, refrigerated, for at least 6 hours and up to overnight.
• When ready to cook, lay out six 12-by-16-inch parchment rectangles. Place a piece of lamb on each and top with a spoonful of reserved adobo and 1 avocado leaf (or 1 bay leaf and 1 mint sprig). Carefully fold each corner of one of the parchment rectangles towards the center, tie it tightly with twine and trim any excess parchment. Repeat with the remaining parchment rectangles.
• Set up a steamer pot with water in the bottom and a steamer basket above the water level and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the water is boiling and steam is coming out, place the lamb packets in the steamer basket in a single layer. Cover tightly, lower the heat to medium and steam, checking occasionally to make sure there's enough water in the bottom, until the lamb is tender and nearly falling apart, about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
• Serve the packets directly on a plate with sliced limes, a side of rice pilaf and warm tortillas.

Steps:

• Wash chicken pieces in cold water (leave the chicken moist so the coating will hold on to it) set aside.
• In the plastic mixing bag that comes with the coating mix, combine all ingredients (except the chicken pieces) and shake bag to combine thoroughly.
• Set oven to 425°F.
• Set oven rack to lowest-bottom position.
• Line a large 15-inch baking sheet with foil, and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
• Shake each piece of chicken in the bag to coat thoroughly with mixture and place on the baking sheet.
• Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.
• Bake for 45 minutes (you might have to bake for about 5 minutes more if the backs are attached to the legs).
• *NOTE* Sometimes if you are using frozen defrosted chicken there might still be some water left in the chicken that will come out when baking, if you find that there is a lot of water in your pan about halfway through baking, just carefully remove the pan with a towel or oven mitts and hold over the sink to drain the water, and place back in the oven to bake (just enough to drain, careful not to remove the chicken from the pan and throw into the sink!).
• The less water in the bottom of the pan the crispier you chicken will be).

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Combine butter, miso, honey, rice vinegar and black pepper in a large bowl and mix with a spatula or spoon until it is well combined.
• Add chicken to the bowl and massage the miso-butter mixture all over it. Place the chicken in a single layer in a roasting pan and slide it into the oven. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, turning the chicken pieces over once or twice, until the skin is golden brown and crisp, and the internal temperature of the meat is 160 to 165 degrees.