Grilled Red Chile Chicken

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This is one of the most amazing grilled chicken recipes I have had.  Of course you don’t have to grill it if you don’t have the time or it’s raining or something.  But let me tell you this.  The way the chile sauce caramelizes on the chicken when grilled.

I started by making my own chile sauce (see below).  It is one of the easiest sauces to put together.  You just need to get your hands on some dried chile peppers.  Anchos (also known as pasillo’s) are the traditional peppers used but today I found some Guajillo peppers I decided to try.  They are a dried mirasol chile. They have long, shiny, tapered cranberry red pods with tough skins. They’re moderately spicy, tangy flavor with a hint of citrus.   I also added a few dried Indian Chili Peppers.  But these are totally optional.

So now onto what we you are actually here for.  The recipe.  I hope ya’ll enjoy my take on Red Chile Chicken.

Red Chili Sauce:

• 6 Guajillo peppers (you can use Anchos as well)
• 4 Indian Chili Peppers (optional)
• Water
• 1 large clove garlic
• 2 crushed cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• Olive oil

1. Cut the stems off the top of the peppers, slice them open and remove the seeds and veins of the peppers.  (you can leave some of the seeds and veins if you like your sauce a bit spicier)
2. Fill a medium sauce pot with 2-3 cups water and bring to boil.
3. Add the peppers, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
4. Remove the peppers (don’t discard water) and place in blender along with the garlic, cloves, pepper, salt,  and 1 1/2 cups of the liquid you boiled the peppers in.
5. Puree for 2-3 minutes then pour through a fine mesh strainer into a sauce pan along with the olive oil, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes.
6. Strain off any foam and then use immediately or store in a glass container in your refrigerator.  (*Don’t use a plastic container.  It WILL permanently stain it)

(sorry, got busy and didn’t get pic of sauce boiling in pan…oooops)

Chicken:

• 2 large chicken breasts (bone in, skin on, each cut in half)
• 4 chicken thighs (bone in, skin on)
•  1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 1/2 cups red chile sauce (see above)
•  1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoons ginger
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

1. Rinse chicken and place in zip top bag.
2. Combine all other ingredients and mix well to make a marinade.
3. Pour into the bag with chicken, remove as much air as possible and seal bag.  Removing the air will keep all of the chicken in contact with the marinade and aid in the flavors getting into the chicken.
4. Store at least one hour in refrigerator (overnight if possible).
5. Remove from bag and reserve marinade.
6. Grill chicken to at least 165 degrees internal temperature.  (You can also bake in a 350 degree oven as well)
7. While grilling chicken, put the marinade in a small sauce pan and bring to boil for 3 minutes.  This will kill any salmonella that may be present in marinade from the chicken.  Baste the chicken with the marinade while grilling the chicken.
8. Again, make sure you reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees.  Don’t over grill or you’ll end up with dry chewy chicken.