Pulled Chicken
Feel free to make a big batch, it freezes well.
Pulled Chicken
Feel free to make a big batch, it freezes well.
Servings
2lbs chicken thighs
Servings
2lbs chicken thighs
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Remove thigh skin. Either discard or see “notes” below.
  2. Pat thighs dry with paper towels.
  3. Lightly salt both sides of thighs and refrigerate uncovered on a rack for between 2 hours and overnight (this is called dry-brining).
  4. Chop the onion and garlic.
  5. Select a covered pan or pot wide enough to brown all thighs at once. Anything but cast iron, which is not suited for reducing an acidic sauce. Add fat/oil and heat to shimmering.
  6. Pat thighs dry, add to pot and Brown on both sides (about 4 minutes each). Remove and set aside.
  7. Add onion, cumin, chili powder and a big pinch of ground black pepper. Cook onion a couple of minutes.
  8. Add a big pinch of salt UNLESS you dry-brined the thighs.
  9. Add garlic. Continue cooking until onions are well softened and starting to brown.
  10. Return chicken, add salsa and stock then bring to a simmer.
  11. Cover and slow simmer for 30 minutes.
  12. Remove chicken and set aside.
  13. Add lime zest to sauce.
  14. Simmer sauce uncovered until reduced by half, stirring periodically.
  15. While sauce is reducing, debone and shred thigh meat with a couple of forks. Either let it cool a bit first, or delegate the task to someone annoying.
  16. Mix shredded meat back into sauce and reduce heat to low. Add lime juice. Salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe Notes

Any time you are about to discard raw chicken skin, stop. Consider packaging and freezing it for the next time you make poultry stock. You can either toss it in the stock pot frozen, or even better thaw and brown it then toss it in the stock pot. This adds great flavor to the stock and lets you rescue the rendered fat (schmaltz) from the pan for a variety of other uses. Om nom nom nom!