Santa Fe’s Paloma has been quietly flipping the script on Mexican cuisine for years. Chef Nathan Mayes shares one of his thoughtful and nuanced recipes with TABLE readers.
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Chicken Enfrijolada
Description
A Latin dish to spice up your dinner plans.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8–12 corn tortillas
For the filling:
- Meat of 1 picked chicken (home made or store bought)
For the sauce:
- 1 quart of cooked black beans (preferably homemade)
- Approximately 1 quart chicken stock (preferably homemade)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium white onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano (can substitute dry marjoram)
- 1 tsp cumin seed
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- 1 bunch fresh epazote* (if available)
*usually available at Mexican Markets
For the garnish:
- 1 bunch green onions (scallions will work just fine)
- 1 cup crumbled queso fresco
- Drizzle of Mexican Crema or sour cream (optional)
Instructions
- Shred the chicken and season with desired salt. Set aside to cool because the dish is easier to assemble when cold.
- Heat the tortillas one by one in a pan or a microwave before filling them with the chicken to desired thickness. Place in an oven-safe dish.
- Time to make the sauce. Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until soft.
- Add spices and continue to cook until fragrant.
- Add beans and enough chicken stock to cover. Simmer for approximately 10 minutes.
- Purée beans until smooth. Add more chicken stock until smooth and saucey. You can also add butter and pass through a fine mesh strainer to make it more refined.
- Lightly smother the rolled tortillas with sauce and reserve some for finishing. Bake the smothered chicken at 400 degrees F for approximately 15 minutes.
- Smother with the remaining sauce. Garnish Chicken Enfrijolada with grilled (or pan-roasted) onions, crumbled cheese, and Crema to your liking. Adding avocado and cilantro would be excellent as well.
Recipe by Chef Nathan Mayes
Styling by Keith Recker
Photography by Tira Howard
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