tinga de pollo tacos: mexican spicy stewed chicken for a hip to the hop monday.

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Tinga de pollo is a popular Central Mexican dish. With intense flavor yet a soft texture, this spicy stewed chicken dish stands out from other traditional dishes because of the ease with which it can be prepared. Small changes can be made to the stew as well, allowing the cook to personalize the flavor every time it is made.

After simmering the initial base of the stew for a while, the smells filled my apartment, inviting people for dinner through the scent that wafted through the hallway. The trail of smell guided two hungry boys to my humble abode, and I swear they opened the door with their noses.

We attempted to intermingle the smell of Mexican food with that of a campfire, however, the latter failed (due to my lack of kindling), even though Brodie gave it a valiant effort.

My lack of usual 'eating' pictures was dictated by the fact that Brodie decided that he was going to make an odd, odd face in every photo. But, they enjoyed it (though I don't have documentary proof). And it provided sustenance for the night to come -- listening to karaoke hip-hop at Fortune Sound Club -- allowing us to experience an array of different cultures on Monday. Ole fo' shizzle my nizzle.

Tinga de Pollo (Mexican Spicy Stewed Chicken) Tacos

2 large tomatoes, charred and skin removed in the oven
1 head garlic, minced
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 tbs. olive oil
1 cup chicken stock
2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tsp. oregano
4 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, chopped, with sauce added as well (add less if you don't like spicy!)

salt, to taste
2 chicken breasts
1 lime, juiced

tacos, whether soft or hard (the latter being less authentic)
salsa fresca
avocado, sliced

1. Drizzle the olive oil into a large saucepan or pot, place it on the stove at medium-high heat, and saute the garlic, charred tomatoes, and onion for 3-4 minutes in the pot or until caramelized.

2. De-glaze the pot with the chicken stock, stirring vigorously. Add the chipotles, cumin, nutmeg, oregano, and chicken and let simmer for ten minutes. The chicken should come apart easily at the end of the cooking time.

3. Add the lime juice after shredding the chicken so it is in thin strips (this can be done with two forks). Add salt to taste, and stir.

4. Serve in soft or hard tacos, or on a bed of greens with a side of re-fried beans.

5. Pray. Eat. Enjoy. Go out on a Monday night, no matter the consequences (you're only young once).