Pibil Chicken Recipes

CHICKEN PIBIL

Steps:

• In a blender combine Achiote paste, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, orange juice, lime juice, vinegar, salt and pepper. Puree until smooth. Pour into a nonreactive baking pan, add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a heated, dry, cast iron skillet char onion slices until blackened on both sides. Remove and char tomato slices until blackened on both sides. Reserve. Cut six 16 x 14-inch sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Take banana leaves, and cut into 10-inch squares. Toast squares over a burner to soften, about 2 seconds on each side . Place banana leaves on top of each piece of foil. Remove chicken from marinade, reserving marinade, and place a piece on each foil piece or banana leaf. Top each with two tomato slices and one onion slice. Wrap and seal banana leaf and the foil to enclose. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, in saucepan melt butter. Saute the diced onions until golden brown. Stir in the reserved marinade and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. Add chicken stock and cook for 10 minutes longer. Reserve. When the chicken in ready, remove from oven and open the packets. Transfer the chicken, with the banana leaves if using, to serving plates. Pour any excess juice from the pan into the sauce. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.

CHICKEN, PIBIL STYLE

Steps:

• 1. Prepare paste and juice and set aside. Then, with the tip of a sharp knife, pierce the chicken pieces in 4 or 5 places. Season with salt. Put the chicken in a large bowl. In another bowl, firmly mix the seasoning paste, orange juice, and half of the oil. Pour the mixture over the chicken and turn the pieces over to coat. Cover and refrigerate about 6 hours or overnight. 2. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a large baking pan or clay casserole dish with aluminum foil pieces that are long enough to fold back over the top of the pan. Cut the banana leaves to line the pan, on top of the foil. Put the chicken breasts in the pan on the banana leaves then add the thighs and all of the marinade, overlapping the chicken pieces, if necessary. 3. In a medium skillet, heat the remaining oil and fry the onion until it begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Put the onion, tomato and chiles on top of the chicken. Fold the banana leaves completely over the chicken and then fold the foil over all, crimping the edges to make a tight seal. Bake 1 1/2 hours. Remove the chicken from the banana leaves and serve hot with the sauce.From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

COCHINITA PIBIL

Steps:

• Poke holes all over the pork with a fork. Rub achiote paste all over the pork, and set aside. In a large bowl, mix together the orange juice, lemon juice, and habanero peppers. Mix in the cumin, paprika, chili powder, coriander, salt and pepper. Place pork in the mixture, cover, and refrigerate overnight, turning two or three times.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Wrap the pork and marinade in aluminum foil or banana leaves that have been soaked in water for 30 minutes. Place into a casserole dish, and cover.
• Bake for about 2 hours, until the meat falls off the bone. The slower you cook it, the better it is. You could also bake it in a 200 degrees F (95 degrees C) oven for 4 or 5 hours, or in a slow cooker without the foil or leaves.
• While the pork is cooking, make the sauce. Bring the red wine vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan. Add onions, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until tender. Pour sauce over pork, and serve with white rice and corn tortillas. Each person can make tacos or fajitas with the pork, the rice and the sauce.

PIRI PIRI CHICKEN

Steps:

• Use rubber gloves to mince the chiles and place into a mixing bowl. Add cilantro, garlic, vegetable oil, vinegar, lime juice, salt, and black pepper. Mix piri piri sauce well.
• Place chicken breasts and legs into a resealable plastic bag. Pour in piri piri sauce, seal the bag, and shake gently to completely cover chicken. Put the bag in the refrigerator to marinate at least 4 hours.
• Remove bag from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking to allow chicken to come to room temperature.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Remove chicken from the bag; discard bag and cilantro. Cook chicken on the preheated grill, rotating as necessary to cook evenly, until juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 25 minutes.