Mexican orange chicken: Pollo en naranja

Karen Hursh Graber

Mexican Kitchen

A specialty of Oaxaca, where fruit is often cooked with meat and poultry, this dish is easy and delicious. For a variation, try substituting pineapple slices for the oranges. This recipe is from Oaxacan cook Maria Conception Portillo, who collected over 250 Oaxacan home-style recipes.

Ingredients

• 1 chicken, cut into serving pieces
• 2 tablespoons corn oil
• 1 medium white onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 2-inch cinnamon stick
• 5 black peppercorns
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• juice of 2 oranges
• salt to taste

In a large skillet, sautee the chicken in corn oil until golden.

Grind all the spices with the fresh orange juice, salt to taste, and about 1/2 cup water. Add this mixture to the chicken in the skillet, cover and cook over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 35-40 minutes.

Serve with white rice, or add sliced potatoes to the chicken and juice mixture while it is cooking.

Serves 6.