You can make this amazing, authentic meal without venturing beyond the average grocery store. It makes amazing tacos, tortas, quesadillas, tlayudas and more.
Adapted from Pati Jinich's version in Pati's Mexican Table.
1.5tspsalt(less if you use a salt-added chicken stock)
2tsppiloncillo(or brown sugar)
1-4wholechipotle peppers in adobo saucechopped (see note about spice)
1tbspsauce from chipotles in adobo
5cupscooked shredded chicken(a grocery store rotisserie-cooked chicken works great)
1.5cupschicken stockpreferably low- or no-sodium added
To Serve (All Optional)
corn tortillas
avocado
pico de galloor other salsa
cotija or queso fresco cheese(substitute monterey jack, farmer's cheese, or mild feta)
Mexican crema
Instructions
Place the tomatoes and tomatillos in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring the pot to a boil on the stovetop and cook until soft but not mushy, about 6-8 minutes. The skins on the tomatoes will most likely split open during cooking.
Remove the tomatoes and tomatillos from the water with a slotted spoon and transfer to a blender or food processor. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then blend until smooth and set aside.
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add the onion and saute for about 4 minutes, or until the onions are soft and somewhat translucent - a little bit of brown or char is fine. Add the garlic and saute for another minute, then add in the pureed tomatoes and tomatillos (it will spatter, so be careful). Reduce the heat and stir in the spices, sugar, chipotles, and adobo sauce. Loosely cover the sauce and allow it to simmer over medium-low heat until it's thickened and darker - about 10 minutes.
Add the chicken and stock to the sauce and combine well. Cook for an additional 10 minutes or so, or until most of the sauce has been absorbed and the mixture is thick. Season to taste with salt.
Serve with tortillas and various toppings (see ingredient list for basics, but feel free to vary things based on your personal tastes). Quesadillas, tortas, tlayudas, tostadas, etc. are also great options.
Notes
You can easily vary this recipe in terms of spice by adding or subtracting chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. For a very mild version (i.e. the version I served my young children), you can use one or no chipotle peppers. For a smokier version with moderate heat, you can use 2-3 peppers. If you're looking for something fairly fiery, you can use 6-10 peppers, or the better part of a small can,. Although the adobo sauce (i.e. the sauce that the peppers are preserved in) does contribute a very small degree of spiciness, I wouldn't recommend removing it even for the spice-averse, as it contributes a lot of the smoky rich flavour necessary for the dish to work.The tomatoes and tomatillos do not need to be seeded or cored - simply clean them and boil them whole.