The chicken birria recipe (Birria de pollo)
A special chicken birria recipe from a real mexican family tradition... this birria gets its particular taste from a sauce with roasted tomatoes with chiles, garlic and toasted sesame seeds. In my opinion, the sesame seeds are optional; in small quantities they do bring an extra level of taste to this recipe but if you put too much their taste tends to overtake the recipe.
Easy Recipe for chicken birria
Ingredients (6 people):
* One whole 2 lb. chicken
* 1 onion
* Salt, to taste
* 6 guajillos chiles
* 3 cloves of garlic
* 1/4 cup of sesame seeds, toasted
* 1 lb. Red tomatoes
* 3 bay leaves
Items to add when serving the birria:
* 1 chopped onion
* 2 limes, split in quarters
* tostadas
Preparation:
1) Place chicken, onion and garlic in a pot. Cover with water and add salt to taste. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat setting, cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked, about 30 minutes. Shred the chicken meat and reserve 5 cups of the broth.
2) Place the tomatoes on a comal or griddle over medium heat, and roast them, turning them occasionally, until the skin is charred and the flesh tender. Peel the tomatoes.
3) Put the chilies to soak in hot water, when have softened blend them in the blender with the garlic using some broth as liquid to help. Once liquified, pour the chiles in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
4) Start toasting the sesame seeds in the oven, until their color changes slightly, careful not to burn them!
5) Blend the tomatoes with the toasted sesame seeds and pour this into the pot with the chicken broth.
6) Add the bay leaves and the shredded and cooked chicken meat. Simmer for 20 minutes. Check seasoning and adjust, to your taste; your chicken birria is ready!
Preparing each plate, pour some chicken birria, then sprinkle some chopped raw onions over, a few drops of lime juice; serve the chicken birria with tostadas.
