Chicken, freshly cooked with spices and vegetables, reminds me of the old-fashioned flavor of our mother’s cooking and the aroma of her kitchen. It is a staple of most border kitchens. This recipe for stewed chicken is very versatile. Besides enchiladas, it can be used to fill tamales and tacos.
Makes about 4 cups
1 (3-pound) chicken, whole or cut into 8 or 10 serving pieces
3½ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons Tex-Mex Holy Trinity
1 onion, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 large tomato, chopped
½ cup tomato sauce
Use for
In a large saucepan over high heat, combine the whole chicken or chicken pieces, 1 quart water, and 2 teaspoons of the salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 35 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the saucepan and allow to cool for about 30 minutes. Reserve the broth in a saucepan off the heat.
To the broth in the saucepan, add the Holy Trinity, the remaining 1½ teaspoons salt, the onion, bay leaves, tomato, and tomato sauce. Stir to combine.
When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin. Pull meat from the bones and shred the meat by hand or chop into bite-size pieces. Discard the skin and bones.
Over low heat, add the chicken to the broth mixture. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until soft.
Set aside off the heat for about 15 minutes to cool. Using a slotted spoon, transfer seasoned chicken meat to a clean container, draining most of the liquid.