If tomorrow is a Taco Tuesday for ya, toss in a little adobo action, or keep this for the Wild Card games this weekend. Go Niners!
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.