Chicken Adobo

Roasted Vegetables

• 30 to 40 garlic cloves, peeled

• 8 plum tomatoes

• 4 onions, quartered

• 3 large carrots, cut into large sticks

Chicken and Chicken Broth

• 6 to 8 large chicken pieces

• water to cover chicken

• 6 bay leaves

• 3 teaspoons oregano

• cilantro, coarsely chopped

• 2 carrots, roughly chopped

• 1 large onion, roughly chopped

• 4 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 onion, quartered and sliced

• 10 roasted garlic cloves

• salt to taste

Adobo Sauce

• 2 cups reserved chicken broth

• 4 to 5 raw garlic cloves

• 6 to 8 roasted garlic cloves

• 6 roasted tomatoes

• 2 roasted onions 

• 2 roasted carrots

• ½ onion, roughly chopped

• 10 pasilla chilies, softened in water

• 5 ancho chilies

• 2 guajillo chilies (mirasol)

• 1 tablespoon chicken glace (paste)

• 2 scallions, roughly chopped

• ½ teaspoon oregano

• pinch of salt

• ¼ cup olive oil

• ½ onion, sliced

• 3 to 4 cinnamon sticks

• freshly ground black pepper to taste

To roast vegetables

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spread the garlic, tomatoes, and onions sections on a baking sheet. Roast for one hour or until soft and deeply browned. Remove and set aside.

To prepare the chicken and the broth

Place the chicken pieces in a large saucepan or pot and cover with water. Add bay leaves, 1 teaspoon oregano, and the cilantro, chopped carrot and chopped onion. Bring to a boil; skim any foam which rises. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the chicken parts from the water and set aside to let cool enough to handle. Reserve the broth. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones and pull the meat into bite size pieces.

In a large sauté pan or skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil and sauté the sliced onions until softened. Add the chicken pieces, remaining 2 bay leaves and teaspoon of oregano, 4 or 5 roasted garlic cloves and salt. Toss together, lower the heat slightly and let simmer.

To prepare the adobo

Put 1 cup of chicken broth in a food processor. Place the raw garlic, roasted garlic, tomatoes, onions and carrot in the food processor. Add the raw onion. Cut the chilies into pieces and remove the seeds; add to the food processor. Add the chicken glace, scallion, oregano and salt. Add the remaining chicken broth as needed and process until smooth. 

Put the remaining olive oil in a saucepan and add the sliced onion, cinnamon and black pepper. Saute the onions until they are softened and begin to color. Add the adobo puree and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Pick out the cinnamon sticks. Pour the mixture over the chicken in the skillet and heat together for 2 to 3 minutes.

Place chicken on a serving platter along with adobo sauce. Serve with your favorite Southwestern side dishes.