Milk Street Recipe

Orange–Guajillo Chili Pulled Chicken

Name: Orange–Guajillo Chili Pulled Chicken
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients: 1 ounce guajillo chilies (5 medium), stemmed, seeded and torn into 1-inch pieces; 1 1/2 cups orange juice; 5 large garlic cloves, peeled; 2 tablespoons white vinegar; 2 teaspoons ground coriander; 2 teaspoons honey; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; Kosher salt; 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed

45 minutes

Free

This recipe is free until September 7, 2022. Start your 14-day free trial to access every Milk Street recipe. Learn More.

Chilorio, a pulled pork from the Mexican state of Sinaloa, inspired this dish, but instead of pork, we use faster-cooking boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Fresh orange juice amplifies the fruity notes of the guajillo chilies while giving the sauce a natural sweetness; a little vinegar and honey helped the balance. Serve the shredded chicken with Mexican rice or tortillas, or use it as a filling for tacos. Diced white onion, sliced radishes and/or crumbled queso fresco are excellent garnishes.

4

Servings

Tip

Don’t forget to trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs before cooking to prevent the dish from being greasy.

45 minutes

1 ounce guajillo chilies (5 medium), stemmed, seeded and torn into 1-inch pieces

1 1/2 cups orange juice

5 large garlic cloves, peeled

2 tablespoons white vinegar

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons honey

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Kosher salt

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed

Ingredients

1

ounce guajillo chilies (5 medium), stemmed, seeded and torn into 1-inch pieces
1½

cups orange juice
5

large garlic cloves, peeled
2

tablespoons white vinegar
2

teaspoons ground coriander
2

teaspoons honey
1

teaspoon dried oregano
Kosher salt
2

pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed

Directions

01

In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, toast the chilies, pressing with a wide metal spatula and flipping halfway through, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl and pour in the juice; press on the chilies to submerge. Let stand until the chilies have softened, about 10 minutes. Set the skillet aside.
02

In a blender, combine the chilies and juice, garlic, vinegar, coriander, honey, oregano and 1 teaspoon salt. Puree until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour the puree into the same skillet and bring to a boil over medium-high. Nestle the chicken into the sauce, cover and cook over medium-low, stirring and flipping the chicken halfway through, until tender and opaque when cut into with a paring knife, about 20 minutes.
03

Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a large plate and set aside until cool enough to handle, 10 to 15 minutes. Using 2 forks, shred into bite-size pieces. While the chicken cools, bring the sauce to a simmer over medium-high and cook, stirring, until thickened and reduced to 1 cup, about 10 minutes. Stir the shredded chicken into the sauce, then taste and season with salt.

Tip: Don’t forget to trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs before cooking to prevent the dish from being greasy.

Mains

Instant Pot Cochinita Pibil Tacos

Ziti with Zucchini, Basil and Walnut Pesto

Cauliflower Shawarma

Seared Shrimp Tacos with Tomatoes and Cotija

Become a Member

Simple, Bold Recipes

Orange–Guajillo Chili Pulled Chicken

Get Ready to Cook

4

Servings

45 minutes

Tip

Don’t forget to trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs before cooking to prevent the dish from being greasy.

Ingredients

1

ounce guajillo chilies (5 medium), stemmed, seeded and torn into 1-inch pieces
1½

cups orange juice
5

large garlic cloves, peeled
2

tablespoons white vinegar
2

teaspoons ground coriander
2

teaspoons honey
1

teaspoon dried oregano
Kosher salt
2

pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed

Toast the chiles

ounce guajillo chilies (5 medium), stemmed, seeded and torn into 1-inch pieces

1½

cups orange juice

In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, toast the chilies, pressing with a wide metal spatula and flipping halfway through, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Transfer to a small bowl and pour in the juice; press on the chilies to submerge. Let stand until the chilies have softened, about 10 minutes. Set the skillet aside.

Combine and cook

large garlic cloves, peeled

tablespoons white vinegar

teaspoons ground coriander

teaspoons honey

teaspoon dried oregano

teaspoon kosher salt

pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed

In a blender, combine the chilies and juice, garlic, vinegar, coriander, honey, oregano and 1 teaspoon salt. Puree until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour the puree into the same skillet and bring to a boil over medium-high.

Nestle the chicken into the sauce, cover and cook over medium-low, stirring and flipping the chicken halfway through, until tender and opaque when cut into with a paring knife, about 20 minutes.

Transfer, season and serve

Kosher salt, to taste

Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a large plate and set aside until cool enough to handle, 10 to 15 minutes. Using 2 forks, shred into bite-size pieces.

While the chicken cools, bring the sauce to a simmer over medium-high and cook, stirring, until thickened and reduced to 1 cup, about 10 minutes. Stir the shredded chicken into the sauce, then taste and season with salt.

Orange–Guajillo Chili Pulled Chicken | Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street

Orange–Guajillo Chili Pulled Chicken

This recipe is free until September 7, 2022. Start your 14-day free trial to access every Milk Street recipe. Learn More.

4

45 minutes

Mains

Simple, Bold Recipes

Thank you for participating in our monthly giveaway!