Chicken Recipe
Pollo Asada, cabbage, cotija, salsa macha
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Ingredients
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Pollo Asada (Chicken)
Cabbage Slaw
Salsa Macha
Tortillas & Garnish
Method
Pollo Asada (Chicken)
- 1
Prepare the marinade
In a large bowl or zip-top bag combine 3 tbs olive oil, 60 ml lime juice, 60 ml orange juice, 4 crushed garlic cloves, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tbs smoked paprika, 1 tbs chili powder, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1.5 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper and 2 tbs soy sauce. Whisk until well combined.
- 2
Marinate the chicken
Add 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs to the marinade, coating thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, ideally 2 hours. If short on time, let marinate 30 minutes.
- 3
Cook the chicken
Remove chicken from fridge 15 minutes before cooking. Preheat a grill, grill pan, or heavy skillet over medium-high heat and oil the grate or pan lightly. Remove thighs from marinade (shake off excess) and cook 5–7 minutes per side until charred at edges and internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F). For a thicker char, finish directly over high heat for 1–2 minutes per side.
- 4
Rest and slice
Transfer cooked chicken to a cutting board and let rest 5–8 minutes. Slice into bite-size strips or thin slices for tacos.
Cabbage Slaw
- 5
Make the slaw
In a bowl combine 3 cups thinly shredded red cabbage, 1 cup grated carrot and 0.5 cup chopped cilantro. In a small bowl whisk together 30 ml lime juice, 3 tbs mayonnaise, 1 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp black pepper. Pour dressing over cabbage mixture and toss to coat evenly.
- 6
Chill briefly
Let slaw sit in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes to meld flavors. Stir again before assembling tacos.
Salsa Macha
- 7
Toast chiles and seeds
Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast 10 dried chile de arbol briefly, turning, until fragrant (30–60 seconds each side) — be careful not to burn. Quickly toast 2 dried guajillo pieces for 20–30 seconds. Remove chiles and set aside. In the same pan toast 0.33 cup peanuts and 2 tbs sesame seeds, stirring, until nutty (2–3 minutes).
- 8
Bloom the chiles
Carefully remove stems and most seeds from the toasted guajillo and arbol chiles (reserve some seeds if you want more heat). Place chiles in a heatproof bowl and cover with 60 ml boiling water. Let soak 10 minutes, then drain—this softens them for blending.
- 9
Blend the salsa
In a blender or food processor combine soaked chiles, toasted peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, 2 cloves garlic, 120 ml neutral oil, 1 tbs rice vinegar, 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp salt. Pulse to a coarse, spreadable texture. If too thick, add a tablespoon of neutral oil or a little hot water to reach desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt or sugar.
- 10
Cool and store
Let salsa macha cool to room temperature. It will keep in a jar refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. Spoon some into a serving bowl for the platter.
Tortillas & Garnish
- 11
Warm tortillas
Stack 12 corn tortillas and wrap in a clean kitchen towel. Steam-warm in a microwave for 30–45 seconds or heat individually on a hot dry skillet 20–30 seconds per side until pliable and slightly charred. Keep wrapped to stay warm.
- 12
Assemble tacos
To assemble: place warm tortilla on a plate, add a portion of sliced pollo asada (2–3 slices per tortilla depending on size), top with cabbage slaw, a spoonful of salsa macha, a sprinkle of crumbled cotija (about 1–2 tbs per taco), and a few leaves of chopped cilantro. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing.
- 13
Platter presentation
Arrange tacos on a platter with extra salsa macha in a small bowl, remaining cotija, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges on the side so guests can customize. Serve immediately while chicken and tortillas are warm.
