Tangy Pollo en Escabeche

The sweetness of caramelized onions and the fireworks of jalapeno pepper strikes an immediate chord with your love for Mexican food.

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Servings

Calories 234kcal

1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 teaspoons dried oregano preferably Mexican
1 teaspoon salt
4 chicken breast halves bones and skins intact, about 2 pounds
2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
1 large white onion cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 large carrots peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick on a diagonal
4 garlic cloves peeled and halved
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 to 4 canned pickled jalapenos stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced [Note: I used pre-sliced pickled jalapenos]
1 cup chicken broth

In a small bowl, combine the black pepper, allspice, oregano and salt. Sprinkle half of this mixture over the chicken breasts.
Heat the oil in a very large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat. Lay in the chicken, skin side down, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, turning once, until richly browned. Remove the chicken to a plate, leaving behind as much oil as possible.
Add the sliced onion and carrots to the skillet and cook, stirring regularly, until the onion is browned, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for about 1 minute, then add the remaining seasoning mixture, the vinegar, jalapenos and broth.
Nestle the chicken pieces skin side up in the onion mixture, cover the skillet (a cookie sheet works if your skillet doesn’t have a lid) and simmer gently over a medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 15 minutes. Taste the broth and season with additional salt if you think it’s needed. Transfer a piece of chicken to each dinner plate, spooning a generous portion of the juicy vegetable mixture over the top.

I have also used fresh sliced jalapeno in this recipe.

Tips for Success:

Don't have a lid for a large skillet? Use a sheet pan to cover.
Make Ahead: Even though this is an easy chicken dinner, get a head start and chop the vegetables and pull together the spice mix in advance. This will save you a few minutes come time to cook the chicken.
Feeding a crowd? This recipe is easily doubled or tripled. Use two large fry pans to accommodate more chicken.