Chicken Chorizo
In Mexican cuisine, chorizo is a fresh, uncured sausage loaded with bold spices and local chilies like ancho and guajillo, requiring cooking to unlock its delicious, crumbly goodness.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground chicken, about 90% lean 10% fat
Chili Sauce
- 6 guajillo chiles, deseeded, stemmed
- 1 ancho chile, deseeded, stemmed
- 2 chiles de árbol, stemmed
Spices and Herbs
- 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 1/2 tsp whole cumin
- 1 tsp peppercorns
- 4 cloves
- 2 tsp dry Mexican oregano
- 1 tsp dry marjoram
- 1 tsp dry thyme
- 1/4 tsp ground Mexican canela
Additional Ingredients
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp ground onion
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- Salt to taste (2 tsp kosher salt)
- 1 cup chili soaking liquid
- Oil for cooking chorizo
Instructions
Chiles, Spices and Herbs
- Toast the guajillos, ancho, and chiles de árbol in batches, turning constantly until fragrant and hot (avoid burning), then remove.
- Rinse toasted chiles, then soak in hot water for 5-10 minutes until softened.
- Toast cumin seeds, peppercorns, and cloves until fragrant and cumin darkens slightly (20-30 seconds), then remove.
- Toast oregano, marjoram, thyme, and canela for 10 seconds, stirring constantly, then remove.
Chile Sauce
Make the Chorizo
- In a large bowl, mix the cooled chile sauce with the chicken until evenly coated.
- Place a colander inside another large clean bowl, add the chorizo mixture, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight to marinate (the bowl catches drippings).
Storage Options
- Cut a large piece of plastic wrap, place the desired amount of chorizo near one end, fold the edge over, and roll into a snug sausage shape; twist ends to seal. Alternatively, use zip-lock bags or airtight containers suited for refrigeration or freezing.