Mexican Drunken Chicken Recipes

DRUNKEN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Sprinkle 2 tablespoons salt on the chicken, making sure to season the inside of the cavity. Leave the chicken at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts of cold water to a boil over medium-high heat in a 7-quart Dutch oven. Add 2 tablespoons salt, the ginger and whole scallion. Slowly lower the chicken into the boiling water with the breast side up. Bring the water back up to a gentle boil.
• Carefully lift the chicken out using the handles of 2 wooden spoons or 2 pairs of chopsticks positioned under the wings; be careful not to tear the skin (do not use tongs as they can easily tear the skin). Lift the chicken just high enough and tilt it so all the water drains from the cavity into the pot; this allows cold water in the cavity to drain and ensures even cooking.
• Lower the chicken back into the water. Bring the water back to a gentle simmer and reduce the heat to low. Cook, covered, until the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced between the leg and thigh, 33 to 35 minutes. Right before the chicken is done, prepare a large bowl of ice water.
• Transfer the chicken to ice water breast-side down; reserve the liquid the chicken poached in. Let the chicken cool for about 10 minutes, flipping it once after about 5 minutes. (The ice bath prevents the chicken from overcooking, but also helps to firm the meat and tighten the skin.) Remove the chicken, letting the excess water drain off.
• Whisk together 2 cups of the reserved poaching liquid, the wine, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl until the sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
• Carve the chicken with a meat cleaver or chef's knife: Start by detaching both leg quarters (leg and thigh together) from the body. Chop the leg quarters through the bone into roughly 3/4-inch pieces. Cut off the wings and drumettes. Split the wing flat lengthwise to expose the meat. Cut the breast bone down the center to separate the two breast halves. Cut each half through the bone into 3/4-inch pieces. Lay the chicken pieces in a 2-quart casserole dish in a single layer.
• Sprinkle the goji berries if using around the chicken. Pour the wine mixture over the chicken making sure it's submerged; add a little more poaching liquid if it's not. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days.
• Serve cold, taking the chicken pieces out of the marinade and garnishing them with the goji berries and thinly sliced scallions if using.

DRUNKEN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Bring large pot of water to boil. Add chicken, 6 ginger slices, 4 sliced green onions, and 1 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat; simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 45 minutes. Drain chicken; place in bowl of ice water to cool. Mix 4 cups water, 2 sliced green onions, 5 tablespoons salt, and remaining ginger slices in large bowl until salt dissolves. Drain chicken; add to saltwater brine. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature.
• Meanwhile, mix rice wine and sugar in medium bowl. Stir to dissolve sugar. Season marinade to taste with salt. Drain chicken. Cut into 8 pieces. Transfer chicken to shallow glass baking dish. Pour marinade over. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. Let stand 15 minutes at room temperature. Transfer chicken to plates; discard marinade. Sprinkle with remaining green onions.
• *Available at Asian markets.

MEXICAN DRUNKEN BEANS

Steps:

• Put mayocoba beans into a large container with enough cool water to cover by several inches. Let beans soak 8 hours to overnight.
• Drain mayocoba beans and rinse thoroughly; put into a large stockpot. Pour enough water into the pot to cover beans by a few inches; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and place a cover on the pot, and cook at a simmer until beans are soft in the center, about 90 minutes.
• While the beans simmer, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onion in hot oil until tender, about 5 minutes; add tomatoes and serrano pepper and simmer until the tomatoes have softened slightly, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking until the liquid begins to thicken, about 10 minutes more. Remove from heat.
• Cook and stir bacon in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until very crispy, about 10 minutes; remove bacon from skillet with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with paper towel.
• Cook ham cubes in the bacon fat in the skillet until browned, about 5 minutes; remove with slotted spoon to the plate with the bacon to drain.
• Once the beans have cooked, stir the tomato mixture, bacon, ham, beer, jalapeno peppers, cilantro, and chicken bouillon granules into the beans; season with sea salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the beans are completely softened, about 30 minutes.

DRUNK CHICKEN

Steps:

• Rinse and dry the chicken. Remove excess fat and leave skin on. Lift skin from breast and thigh areas, slide bay leaves under skin. Coat chicken with poultry seasoning.
• Drink half the can of beer, pour liquid smoke into remaining beer. Raise tab on beer can until it is in the straight up position.
• Insert beer can into chicken from the bottom until even with bottom of chicken. Insert skewer through the wing, ribs, tab on beer can, and out the opposite side. (this keeps the can from falling out the chicken).
• Prepare grill: light the coals, and when they are ready, spread coals to form a ring around the outside edge of the grill.
• Place chicken in center standing up on can to cook. Cover and cook for two hours.
• Remove carefully from grill so as not to spill the contents of the can. Remove skewer and beer can, let chicken sit for fifteen minutes before cutting.

DRUNKEN CHICKEN

Steps:

• 1. Wipe the chicken inside and out with paper towels. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a large heavy-duty plastic bag set over a bowl. Add the chicken and seal the bag with as little air as possible, leaving it in the bowl. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for a day, turning it from time to time; the bag ensures that all of the chicken is kept moist with marinade.
• 2. To roast the chicken, heat the oven to 425°F (220°C/Gas 7). Take the chicken from the marinade, pat it dry with paper towels, and sprinkle it inside and out with salt and pepper. Discard the marinade. Truss the chicken, set it on its back in a roasting pan; cut the butter in slices and set them on the breast. Roast the chicken, basting often, until it sizzles and starts to brown, about 15 minutes. Turn the chicken onto one leg and continue roasting for another 15 minutes, basting often. Turn the bird onto the other leg and roast for 15 more minutes. And finally, turn it onto its back to finish cooking, allowing 50 minutes to 1 hour total cooking time. To test, lift the bird with a two-pronged fork and pour juice from the cavity; it should run clear, not pink.
• 3. Meanwhile cook the pearl barley: melt the butter in a heavy pan, add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until it is soft but not brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the barley and sauté 2 to 3 minutes until the grains look transparent. Add the stock with salt and pepper, cover, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, 30 to 40 minutes. Taste, and if the barley is not tender, add more stock and continue simmering.
• 4. Toast the almonds: Spread them on a baking sheet and brown them in the oven with the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes, watching carefully that they don't burn. Let them cool. When the barley is cooked, sprinkle the prunes, apricots, and almonds on top and leave, covered, to keep warm. The barley pilaf can be stored in the refrigerator up to 2 days and reheated on top of the stove just before serving.
• 5. When the chicken is done, transfer it to a platter and cover it with foil to keep warm. Discard fat from the pan, leaving behind the cooking juices. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the sweet white wine and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring to dissolve the juices. Add the stock and simmer again until the gravy is slightly thickened and reduced by half. Strain it into a saucepan, reheat it, taste, and adjust the seasoning.
• 6. If necessary, reheat the barley pilaf. Add the marjoram or parsley; stir to mix all the ingredients and taste for seasoning. Discard trussing strings from the chicken and spoon the barley pilaf around it. Moisten it with a little gravy and serve the rest separately.
• Quick fix:
• Cut the chicken into 6 to 8 pieces, or use ready-prepared breasts or thighs (my recommendation). Marinate them for 1 to 2 hours. Drain and pat the pieces dry on paper towels, then coat them in seasoned flour. Melt the butter in a sauté pan or skillet and fry the chicken pieces until well browned on all sides. Cover the pan and roast in a 350°F (175°C/Gas 4) oven until the chicken pieces are very tender when pierced with a two-pronged fork, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer them to a platter and keep warm. Discard excess fat from the pan and make the gravy as directed.

DRUNKEN CHICKEN

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat, and cook the chicken about 5 minutes per side, or until golden brown on the outside but not cooked through. Season with salt, and transfer the chicken to an ovenproof casserole dish. 2. In the same skillet, cook the onion, garlic, and oregano 1 minute. Add the tomato and cook until the juices are reduced and the mixture is nearly dry. Stir in the broth, sherry, cinnamon, allspice, crushed pepper, and parsley. Bring to a boil and pour over the chicken in the casserole dish. Cover and bake the chicken 35 to 40 minutes, or until very tender. Serve hot.From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.