Fried chicken breasts rubbed in ancho peppers

1 servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
6Ancho (or mulato) peppers; r
6Cl Garlic
¼teaspoonOregano
½teaspoonSugar
½teaspoonSalt
½cupFine corn meal
½cupCoarse corn meal
½cupFlour
1tablespoonBlack pepper
1tablespoonChile powder
2Boneless skinless chicken br
White flour; (for dusting) -----the rub-------
6Ancho (or mulato) peppers; r
6Cl Garlic; minced
¼teaspoonOregano flakes
½teaspoonSugar
½teaspoonSalt -----seasoned coating-----
½cupFine corn meal
½cupCoarse corn meal
½cupFlour
1tablespoonBlack pepper
1tablespoonChile powder

Directions

Recipe by: Jim Maslanka <jmasl@...> Chicken: 2 whole chicken breasts, boned, skinned, and split; rinse and pat dry . Separate the tenderloins from each breast; you'll now have 8 pieces of chicken . Pound chicken flat to about 50% increase in size . Score meat with sharp knife in a ½ inch criss cross pattern

Rub: . Toast dried peppers on a hot iron skillet; remove stem; slit and remove seeds . Place peppers in a pan; cover with water; bring to a boil; remove from heat; let stand for 1 hour. . Place all rub ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth; run mixture through a food mill (fine filter) if possible. Should be a thick paste.

Coating: . Mix ingredients thoroughly.

Preparation: . Lightly dust chicken meat on all sides with flour, allow to dry for 5 minutes. . With a butter knife, spread the ancho paste evenly on one side of the chicken pieces; rub into the scored pattern (should be enough paste to "hide" the chicken meat). . Sprinkle liberally with seasoned coating; pat it into the paste; allow to dry for 5 min. . Turn chicken pieces over and repeat the paste and coating process on other side of meat.

. Pour 1 cup of olive oil into a hot iron skillet; add ¼ stick of butter; reduce heat to medium. . Don't crowd the chicken in the pan (cook breasts first, followed by tenderloins); for each batch: cook, covered, for 5 minutes; turn the meat; cook for another 5 minutes. . Remove meat, place on a warming rack in a 300 degree oven. . Continue cooking remaining meat.

I served this with a yellow corn and black bean salsa, cooked for about 5 minutes with onions, 1 tsp balsamic vinegar, and ¼ cup chicken broth.