Adobo-Marinated Chicken Tacos

 

4 dried ancho chiles, wiped clean, stemmed, and seeded

4 dried guajillo chiles, wiped clean, stemmed, and seeded

Water for soaking the chiles

2 teaspoons finely chopped peeled ginger (from about 1-3-inch piece)

Kosher salt to taste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Vegetable oil

Warm corn or flour tortillas. I like to char mine over a gas flame.

 

Garnishes you might like:

Diced avocado

Roasted Tomato Salsa

Chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Lime wedges for squeezing

Finely chopped white onion

Queso fresco or cotija cheese

 

1. Place the chiles in a large bowl, add enough water to cover, and let them soak until softened, about 30 minutes.

2. Place the chiles and a 1/2 cup of the soaking water in a blender. Add the ginger, salt, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, juice from 1/2 of a lime and pepper and blend until smooth, stopping and scraping down the pitcher with a rubber spatula as needed, about 1 minute. (The mixture will be thick—don’t add extra water.)

3. Place the chicken in a large bowl, add the Chile purée, and, using your hands, rub it into the chicken until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate it for 2 to 24 hours. I let it marinade for a couple of hours.

4. When ready to cook, heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to medium (about 350°F to 400°F). Brush the grates or pan with the vegetable oil, place the chicken on the grill, and season with salt. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, flip, season with salt, and continue to grill until cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes more.

5. Transfer to a cutting board and let sit until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes. Chop into bite-sized pieces and serve with the tortillas and your choice of garnishes.