Fried Chicken Breasts Rubbed in Ancho Peppers

Ancho-Rubbed Fried Chicken Breasts

These fried chicken breasts rubbed in ancho peppers take the classic Southern fried chicken formula and steer it hard toward the Southwest. A paste made from rehydrated ancho chiles (the dried form of poblanos) gets slathered onto scored chicken, then a seasoned cornmeal-flour coating presses right into the paste for a crispy, deeply spiced crust that’s worlds apart from your standard fried chicken.

Ancho chiles are mild-heat, deeply fruity dried peppers. They’re the backbone of authentic Mexican moles and deliver a raisin-sweet, slightly smoky character without setting your mouth on fire. Toasting and rehydrating them yourself from whole dried chiles (rather than using powder) gives much bigger flavor.

Scoring the chicken in a crosshatch pattern before rubbing is the technique that makes this dish work. The cuts let the chile paste penetrate the meat rather than just sitting on the surface, and the pockets hold more coating during frying for an extra-crunchy crust.

Using a mix of fine and coarse cornmeal in the coating gives you the best of both worlds. Fine cornmeal sticks to the paste; coarse cornmeal gives that distinctive craggy, crunchy exterior that makes fried chicken special.

Pro Tips

• Toast the dried ancho chiles in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side before soaking; this intensifies their flavor.
• Let the paste-rubbed chicken rest 15 to 30 minutes before coating; the paste dries slightly and adheres better to the flour.
• Fry at 350°F (175°C) oil temperature; too hot and the coating burns before the chicken cooks through.
• Drain on a wire rack, not paper towels; paper towels trap steam and turn the bottom crust soggy.

Variations

• Blend in 1 or 2 chipotle chiles in adobo for added smoke and heat.
• Finish with a squeeze of fresh lime and a sprinkle of cotija cheese for Mexican street-food flair.
• Serve with elote-style grilled corn or cilantro-lime rice for a complete Southwestern plate.