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

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Chilorio, a pulled pork from the Mexican state of Sinaloa, inspired this dish. But instead of the traditional pork shoulder, we used faster-cooking chicken thighs. Fresh orange juice amplified the fruity notes of the guajillo chilies while giving the sauce a natural sweetness; a little vinegar and honey helped the balance. Serve the 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.

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.

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Orange–Guajillo Chili Pulled Chicken

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4

Servings