Recipe: Chili Lime Simmer Sauce for Chicken/Pork

If you have ever had spicy pulled chicken or pork tacos with onions, cilantro and a little cheese, you know just how heavenly they are. Here is a recipe I put together for simmering chicken and it should work for pork or a really hearty white fish as well. For best results, you really should make this with a cast iron pot or even a slow cooker. If you go the slow cooker route, make the sauce in a sautee pan and add with chicken, 1 cup chicken stock and let cook until the meat falls of the bone.

Ingredients:

1 tsp cumin seeds
1 med red onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded if you want less spicy
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp chili powder--i f you have a smoked chipotle chili powder, add a pinch for the smoky flavor
1 tsp oregano flakes
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tbsp black pepper
a pinch of cayenne pepper
kosher salt to taste

1 lb skinless chicken legs and thighs

Directions:

Over medium heat, coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil. Once hot, brown cumin seeds (about a 1 min) and then add garlic, onions and jalapeno. Sautee until onions are clear (3-5 mins). Add tomato paste, lime and lemon juice and the seasoning. Bring mixture to a simmer and allow it to thicken, then add chicken. Coat the chicken completely with the mixture and then cook, over low heat, for 45 minutes with the lid closed, stirring occasionally. Cook until the onion "sweat" or water rises to the top (its almost like you are making a curry from a paste) and then pull the chicken off the bone to serve.

I would serve the chicken with corn tortillas, raw onions, cilantro, fresh jalapenos, sour cream and a little cheese.