Pollo yucateco

Preparation

Baking Directions:

First make the chicken marinade.

Add yogurt, achiote paste and orange juice into a blender and blend until well incorporated.

Set the chicken breast in a Ziploc bag and add the yogurt marinade.

This can be done six hours ahead or the day before.

Then make the achiote-habanero sauce.

Preheat the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut the tomatoes in half and set them on a sheet pan with the skin facing up and with the garlic cloves and habanero pepper.

Cook in the oven until roasted, which takes about 35 minutes.

In the meantime, add the orange and lemon juices in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer.

Add the achoite paste to the simmering liquid and break with a whisk to help dissolve.

Once mixture is integrated, allow to simmer for five minutes over low heat, then set aside.

Once the tomato mix is roasted, remove the stem and seeds from the haberno pepper with plastic gloves and a knife, and discard the removed stems and seeds.

In a blender, add the rest of the pepper, garlic cloves, tomato and achiote citrus mix and blend.

While blending, add the canola oil little by little to emulsify the sauce.

Add the honey and salt to taste.

If the sauce is too spicy, add more orange juice and honey.

After sauce is complete, prepare the chicken, Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Heat a sauté pan over high heat and add a tablespoon of canola oil.

Take marinated chicken, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and sear in hot pan on both sides, which takes about two minutes per side, until they're golden brown.

Remove chicken from the pan and place them on a sheet pan.

Finish cooking chicken in the preheated oven for eight to 10 minutes, or until fully cooked.

Serve immediately with warm sauce drizzled on top.