Chicken Almendrado
Submitted by Stepme
Mexican-style chicken simmered in a smoky blended sauce of almonds, ground red chiles, cinnamon, and vinegar. Topped with slivered almonds for a nutty, spiced one-skillet dinner.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
55 minREADY
1 hrsAlmendrado means “with almonds” in Spanish, and this Mexican braised chicken takes that promise seriously.
Slivered almonds get blended into a smooth, brick-red sauce alongside sauteed onion, ground red chiles, chicken broth, a splash of vinegar, and a warm hit of cinnamon. The sauce wraps around each chicken breast like a blanket.
Simmered low and covered for 45 minutes, the chicken turns fall-apart tender while the sauce concentrates into something smoky, nutty, and deeply savory.
Scatter more slivered almonds on top and serve with rice to catch every drop.
Pro Tips
- Blend the sauce until completely smooth. Any chunky bits of almond or chile will distract from the velvety texture you are going for.
- Do not rush the simmer. Low heat and a covered skillet are what make the chicken so tender it practically shreds with a fork.
- Toast the garnish almonds in a dry skillet for 2 minutes before sprinkling. The crunch and extra nuttiness make a real difference.
Ingredients
Directions
Cook and stir onion in margarine and oil in a 10-inch skillet, until tender.
Stir in broth, ¼ cup of almonds, the ground red chiles, vinegar, sugar and cinnamon.
Heat to boiling; reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Spoon mixture into a blender container, cover and blend on low speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
Return sauce to skillet. Dip chicken breasts into the sauce to coat both sides.
Place skin sides up in a single layer in the skillet.
Heat to boiling and then reduce the heat, cover and simmer until done, about 45 minutes.
Serve sauce over chicken and sprinkle with the remaining slivered almonds.
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