Pollo Rojo (Red Pepper Chicken)
Pollo Rojo (Red Pepper Chicken) – A Latin inspired dish with big personality. Healthy, hearty and habit-forming… in a good way.
I have a certain endearment to chile peppers.
Although I love spicy food, that is not the reason for my appreciation. My love for chiles has more to do with their color, intensity, versatility and universal appeal.
Every country, every culinary endeavor throughout history, has been affected by the chile pepper. Even European cuisine, although generally considered mild and rich, has been deeply influenced by this ancient self-pollinating crop.
In certain regions, chiles have a long legacy as a dietary staple. Yet, once Columbus discovered the American varieties of chile peppers, their influence literally took over the world.
More than just heat, chile peppers lend vibrance to otherwise boring dishes. They offer deep smoky flavor, sweetness, and even the acidic note that certain dishes need.
As for versatility, chile peppers are used for all sorts of things around the world including: warding off pests in fields, as dyes, and to keep feet warm in socks. Loaded with Vitamin C and Capsaicin, (a powerful antioxidant) they are thought to cure:
- Migraines
- Sinus Issues
- intestinal disease
- Heart Attacks
- Cancer
- Stomach Ulcers
- High Blood Pressure
- Toothaches
- Joint Pain
- Promote Weight Loss
I love to grow fresh peppers in the summer. But this time of year, I rely heavily on the dried varieties.
I recently bought a large bag of red “New Mexico” Chiles at the grocery store. It was somewhat of a perplexing experience, because the bag labeled “New Mexico” chiles read “Grown in Mexico” in small print.
Directly next to them on the shelf were bags of identical-looking “California” chiles, “Grown in Peru.” You see the problem here?
Sometimes when you buy chiles in bulk, it’s hard to know exactly what you’re getting.
What I discovered was that these red chiles are all Anaheims. The heat may vary a tad, due to the climate in which they are grown. Yet they are the same pepper, and are considered the standard chile pepper for Latin-American and Southwest cooking.
Reconstituting dried chiles unleashes a mass of flavor and untold possibilities.
This easy Pollo Rojo (Red Pepper Chicken), a simple chicken mole recipe features a bold, deeply smokey, and mildly spicy, red pepper sauce, made out of reconstituted New Mexico chiles.
I sautéed some thinly sliced chicken cutlets and blanketed them with warm vivid red pepper sauce.
The red pepper sauce offers a rustic quality with a touch of sweetness that makes the chicken ridiculously exciting. It’s a brilliant sauce for the Pollo Rojo (Red Pepper Chicken) but is fantastic on beef and pork as well.
This Pollo Rojo (Red Pepper Chicken) recipe is a family favorite, full of healthy goodness and spice!
More Latin-Inspired Dishes:
- Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Red Pepper Puree
- Mexican Chile Pops
- Cheesy Chicken Burritos ~ Add A Pinch
- Texas Pecan Roca ~ The Novice Chef
- Steak Fajita Salad ~ Ingredients Inc.
Pollo Rojo (Red Pepper Chicken)
Ingredients
For the Red Pepper Mole:
- 14-15 dried New Mexico chiles, Anaheims or California
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 cup chicken stock (any stock would work)
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prepare a bowl of boiling hot water. Place the chiles in the water and allow them to soak for 10-15 minutes, until soft to the touch.
- Remove the stems, seeds, and membranes, rinsing each pepper in the bowl. Then place in a food processor.
- Add the garlic cloves and half the chicken stock. Puree until smooth. Then add the cumin, honey, vinegar, salt and remaining stock. Puree again until smooth. Taste and salt again if needed. The sauce should have a very intense flavor, but not be overly spicy if the seeds and membranes are properly removed.
- Heat a large to medium-high heat. Pat the chicken cutlets dry and salt the pepper on both sides.
- Add the oil and butter to the skillet. Once melted, place half the cutlets in the pan. Saute for 2-3 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining cutlets.
- To serve: Warm the red pepper sauce and pour over the chicken. Garnish with cilantro leaves or queso fresco.
oh, that looks delish!
I use red chiles all the time for enchiladas! This is wonderful!!!
I can’t get peppers like that here, but I can get jars of roasted pimientos, which will be perfect for this – the hubs can add Tabasco (which is the only hot sauce we can get LOL)
Ohhh sweet..so I can live n peppers and not have migraines?? That would be wonderful! What a beautiful and tasty dish!
Wow, simple and beautiful my kind of cooking, thanks for the inspiration :).
Great sauce. Bookmarked!
Love that sauce!
I could inhale this every. single. day. *love*
This dish reminds me of Pollo adobado. YUM! The sauce looks amazing.
Oh Sommer! This is making me drool, even early in the morning. I bought some dried chiles that have been hanging out in my pantry. Looks like I should get them out and get to cooking. YUM!
The color of this sauce is amazing I bet the flavor is even better! Nice to know the heat is manageable. Wish you could cook me dinner!
I love your food, all the spices mixed together. The food simply looks amazing un every single post and this chicken is no exception
We would love this for dinner!
Such simple ingredients yet tons of flavor… love it!
I am sometimes a wuss when it comes to spicy foods, but my husband loves them. He would go crazy for this chicken…and I love the bright red color in it! Definitely bookmarking for a surprise dinner :)
delicious looking colourful presentation
One tried and true source for New Mexico chiles is http://www.hatchchilefest.com/index.php.
Yum! We grow chiles year round, and we normally have 8-10 different varieties of dried. I love the sound of this dish!