Make Ahead Sunday: Ancho Chicken Tacos

Ingredients

• 4 dried ancho chiles
• 4 cups boiling water
• 1 can (20 oz.) sliced pineapple with its own juice (no sugar added)
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 onion, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt and pepper
• 4 lbs. bone in chicken breasts
• 1 package coleslaw mix (cabbage, carrot)
• cilantro chopped
• corn tortillas
• avocado, sliced
• cheese (feta, goat or cojita)

 

Directions

1. Tear the chiles into pieces; discard the stems and seeds. Boil water in a pot.  Remove from heat, add chiles and cover.  Let soak until tender, about 30 minutes. Transfer the chiles and 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid to a blender. Add 2 pineapple slices, 1/4 cup pineapple juice, the orange juice, onion, brown sugar, cumin, 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Blend until smooth; transfer to a large bowl.
2. Coat chicken with marinade.  Cover and refrigerate for a least 3 hours or overnight.
3. Transfer the chicken and marinade to a large slow cooker. Cover; cook on high until the chicken is tender, about 3 1/2 hours.
4. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Pour the juices and marinade into a 1-qt. glass measuring cup; let stand until the fat rises to the top. Skim the fat from the juices. Transfer the juices to a medium saucepan; simmer until reduced to 1 cup. Using 2 forks, shred the meat. Discard the skin and bones.
5. Add the chicken to the reduced chile juices; cook until heated through. Warm the tortillas. Place about 1/4 cup chicken on each tortilla. Top with slaw, cilantro, avocado and cheese.

Adapated based on recipe from Rachael Ray Magazine.