Chicken with Rajas
By Natalie EstradaPublished on March 28, 2019
Time
1¼ hours
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Crema can typically be found in the refrigerated dairy aisle of the supermarket. If you can't find it, you can substitute 1 cup of heavy cream plus 2 tablespoons of cream cheese. Whisk the mixture once it's in the skillet to ensure that the cream cheese dissolves.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Arrange poblanos skin side up on aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet. Broil until skins are well charred, 6 to 8 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through broiling. Transfer poblanos to bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let steam for 5 minutes. Using spoon, scrape charred skin from poblanos (do not rinse to remove skin). Slice peppers into ¼-inch-thick strips; set aside.
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle all over with pepper and ½ teaspoon salt. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken and cook until browned on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, onions, and ¼ teaspoon salt to now-empty skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are lightly browned and beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, poblanos, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add crema and bring to boil. Nestle chicken into poblano mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until chicken registers 160 degrees, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Transfer chicken to carving board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 minutes. Return skillet to medium heat and cook until spatula leaves distinct trail when dragged through pepper mixture, 2 to 4 minutes. Off heat, stir in cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Slice chicken and serve with rajas.
Time
1¼ hoursYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
This Mexican dish features strips of charred poblano chiles folded into a rich mixture of cream and onions. We charred the poblanos to dramatically enhance their inherent fruity, smoky flavors and then used their residual heat to steam the skins off in a covered bowl before slicing them into ¼-inch strips. We then sautéed chicken breasts in a skillet, transferred them to a plate, and cooked onions in the flavorful fond left behind. To this mixture we added the charred poblanos, garlic, crema, and chicken; covered it; and let the chicken finish cooking in the creamy sauce. For a touch of brightness, we added lime juice and cilantro right before serving.
Before You Begin
Crema can typically be found in the refrigerated dairy aisle of the supermarket. If you can't find it, you can substitute 1 cup of heavy cream plus 2 tablespoons of cream cheese. Whisk the mixture once it's in the skillet to ensure that the cream cheese dissolves.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Arrange poblanos skin side up on aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet. Broil until skins are well charred, 6 to 8 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through broiling. Transfer poblanos to bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let steam for 5 minutes. Using spoon, scrape charred skin from poblanos (do not rinse to remove skin). Slice peppers into ¼-inch-thick strips; set aside.
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle all over with pepper and ½ teaspoon salt. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken and cook until browned on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, onions, and ¼ teaspoon salt to now-empty skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are lightly browned and beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, poblanos, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add crema and bring to boil. Nestle chicken into poblano mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until chicken registers 160 degrees, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Transfer chicken to carving board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 minutes. Return skillet to medium heat and cook until spatula leaves distinct trail when dragged through pepper mixture, 2 to 4 minutes. Off heat, stir in cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Slice chicken and serve with rajas.
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