Pull up a chair....

I get excited when I find something simple, cheap, and healthy that I can cook. Even more so when my kids actually are force fed  enjoy my creation. A while back, (geez, has it been already been a year?)I posted about a wonderful book that I had come up on, The Mexican Kitchen, by Rick Bayless. A year later... it is STILL one of my favorite cookbooks. Although I'm still having a bit of trouble with the whole "bean" thing...I remade that same dish from the previous post, Tinga de Pollo y Papas. The last time I made this, I used the original recipe and after watching my kids guzzle down a gallon of milk during dinner, I realized that maybe I should make it a weeee less spicy.

So follow along.

Tomato- Chipotle Sauce.

2 stemmed, dried chipotles ( I used canned in adobo)
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 medium tomatoes, or 4-6 Romas.
2 tbs o.o or veggie oil

Toast childes over med. heat, Then soak in hot water and let rehydrate. Drain and discard water. (canned chiles... don't worry about it)
While chiles are soaking, roast unpeeled garlic on skillet or  (on foil) on a comal, turning till they become soft. (15 min) Cool and peel.
Roast tomatoes (on the same foil)  until blackened and then flip and do the other/s.
In a blender, add tomatoes/juices, chiles, and garles and puree.


*Sidenote... if you're too lazy/tired/just don't wanna roast tomatoes .... use a drained 12 oz can of  tomatoes. For the sake of my kids, I used the above recipe, but STILL added another 1/2 can of tomatoes to lessen the spicy kick.

The Main Part:
4 medium chicken thighs (or chicken boobies, whatever floats your boat)
4 med. boiling potatoes
1 onion thinly sliced
1 tsp. dried oregano
a bit of salt.... pref. sea salt.
1/3 cup of cotija/fresco whatever your regions' salty cheese...
1 sliced avocado

I also added a handful or so of fresh spinach. Just cuz I can. And I can't get my kids to eat it any other way.

The Main Dish:
1 tsp. oil in a med. saucepan over med/low heat. Add chicken, s/p. Cook until meat is tender. Remove to plate.

Original recipe says to then shred the chicken. It tastes great, (and can also be used for taco filling the next day.) but I've also left it whole and haven't had a problem as a main dish.


Original recipe also says to coarsely shred the potatoes, but as a working mom.. i don't have the time nor patience. I thinly slice mine.

Heat the remaining oil in skillet. Add potatoes/onion.  Cook/stirring/scraping any brown bits off the bottom until browned. (about 15 min)

Add sauce, oregano, bring to a boil. Reduce and simmer until sauce thickens.

Add the spinach. Cook 2 minutes.

Add chicken.

Season with salt.


Scoop mixture into warming dish. Sprinkle with cheese n avocado!

Enjoy!