Pollo con Rajas

[mamster]

Pollo con Rajas

Serves 2.

The recipe below features boneless, skinless chicken breasts, which are the antithesis of cool. The average foodie will tell you that BSCBs are tasteless, overpriced, and impossible to cook without drying out.

That sounds like a challenge to me. Tasteless? Add flavor with a brine, then flour and saute until golden brown. Can't cook them through before the thin part is overdone? Pound them to an even thickness. Expensive? Shoplift.

Do this, even with ordinary supermarket chicken, and people will wonder whether you have some secret, free-range chicken operation in your basement.

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For the rajas:

• 3 medium poblano peppers (about 1/2 lb)
  
• 1 small onion, halved pole-to-pole and sliced thin
  
• 1 T vegetable oil
  
• 2 T whole milk or half-and-half
  

For the chicken:

• 2 c water
  
• 1/4 c kosher salt
  
• 1/4 c sugar
  
• 2 T juice from one lime OR 2 tbsp flavorful vinegar (such as sherry or cider)
  
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
  
• flour - 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  

1. Trim the chicken breasts and remove the tenderloins. Reserve the tenderloins for another use.

2. Stir the salt and sugar into the water until dissolved.

3. Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to 1/2" thickness with a pounder or mallet. Place the chicken in a gallon Zip-Loc bag, pour in the brine, and seal. Refrigerate.

4. Slice the chiles in half lengthwise and remove the cores, seeds, and ribs. Place skin-side up on a cookie sheet.

5. Broil the chiles 5-10 minutes until well-charred. Place the roasted chiles in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit ten minutes.

6. Skin the chiles and discard the skin. Slice the chiles into approximately 1/4"x3" strips.

7. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chile strips and onion and season with salt. Cover and cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the milk or half-and-half and remove from heat.

8. Drain the chicken breasts and dry well with paper towels.

9. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet (not non-stick) over medium-high heat. Dredge the chicken breasts in flour and shake off excess. Saute 3 minutes per side or until cooked through. Top with the rajas and serve immediately.

Keywords: Main Dish, Chicken, Spanish/Portugese, The Daily Gullet

( RG495 )