INGREDIENTS
- For the pickled morita/chipotle chiles:
- 2 ounces piloncillo (unrefined sugar) OR a generous ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup vinegar (a fruit one like apple cider vinegar is typical in Mexico), plus more if needed
- 2 ounces (18 to 20 pieces) dried morita/chipotle colorado chiles, stemmed
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
- Salt
- For the tinga:
- Vegetable or olive oil to coat the pan
- 1 large white onion, sliced a little less than ½ thick
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into half-inch pieces
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
- One 15 -ounce can diced tomatoes (preferably fire-roasted), lightly drained
- 3 to 4 pickled morita/chipotle chiles, thinly sliced, plus some of their pickling liquid OR 3 to 4 canned chilpotle chiles en adobo, thinly sliced
- About 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- A little additional vinegar, if you think the dish needs it
- 12 warm corn tortillas
- 1 ripe avocado
- About 3/4 cup (about 3 ounces) Mexican queso fresco or other fresh cheese like farmers cheese, mild feta or fresh goat cheese
- A handful of cilantro leaves for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the pickled moritas. In a small saucepan, combine the piloncillo (or brown sugar), vinegar and ½ cup water. Bring to a gentle simmer and stir until the piloncillo dissolves. Add the chiles, garlic and ½ teaspoon salt, then simmer for a couple of minutes. Remove from the heat and cool, weighting the chiles to ensure even hydration. (If there isn’t enough liquid to cover the chiles, add a little additional vinegar and water in equal portions.) After a couple of hours, the chiles are ready to use. They will keep for months refrigerated in a sealed container.
Brown the chicken. Set a very large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat and film the bottom liberally with oil. When hot add the onion. Stir until it softens and begins to brown, about 4 minutes, then scatter the chicken in the pan in a single layer. Nestle it down to the bottom of the pan so that it will brown. Cook until everything is richly browned, about 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook a minute longer.
Finish the dish. In a blender or food processor, blend the tomatoes and their juice to a very coarse puree. Add to the browned chicken in the skillet, along with the chiles and oregano. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the chicken is tender and the mixture is thick, about 4 minutes. Taste and season with salt, about 1 teaspoon, and vinegar, if you would like it a little more tangy.
Serve. Serve your chicken tinga on warm tortillas with a slice of avocado, a sprinkling of fresh cheese (queso fresco) and leaves of cilantro.
