Chicken in Tangy Escabeche of Caramelized Onions, Carrots and Jalapeños

Servings: 4  

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano, preferably Mexican
  • Salt
  • 4 about 1 ½ pounds total) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, pounded to even out the thickness OR 4 (2 generous pounds total) chicken breast halves. bones and skin in tact
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
  • 1 large white onion, cut into ¼-inch slices
  • 2 large peeled if you wish and sliced on a diagonal ¼-inch thick
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
  • 1/4 cup vinegar, apple cider vinegar is traditional but rice wine vinegar is also delicious
  • 2 to 4 canned pickled jalapeños, stemmed, seeded if you wish and thinly sliced or cut in rounds
  • 1 cup chicken broth

INSTRUCTIONS

In a small bowl, combine the black pepper, allspice, oregano and 1 teaspoon salt.  Sprinkle this mixture evenly over both sides of the chicken breasts.

Heat the oil in a very large (12-inch) skillet over medium.  Lay in the chicken (skin-side down if you are using skin-on chicken), and cook until richly browned, about 2 minutes on each side (3 to 4 minutes if using skin-on chicken).  Remove the chicken to a plate, leaving behind as much oil as possible.

Add the sliced onion and carrots to the skillet and cook, stirring regularly, until the onions are browned, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, stir for about 1 minute, then add the vinegar, jalapeños and the broth.  Nestle the chicken pieces, into the onion mixture, and simmer gently over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 5 minutes (about 15 minutes for skin-on, bone-in chicken).

Taste the broth, season with additional salt if you think it’s appropriate.  Transfer a piece of chicken to each dinner plate, spooning a generous portion of the juicy vegetable mixture over the top. Dinner’s ready.