Mexican · Dinner

Pollo en adobo

Name: Pollo en adobo
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 1 h 5 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 4 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks; 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided; 1 teaspoon black pepper; 6 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded; 3 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded; 1 dried chipotle chile; 4 Roma tomatoes, halved; 1/2 white onion; 5 garlic cloves; 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar; 1/2 cup fresh orange juice; 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves; 3 tablespoons neutral oil; 2 bay leaves; 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock; 16 warm corn tortillas

Bone-in chicken browned and braised in a fried guajillo-ancho-chipotle adobo sharpened with vinegar and rounded with orange, oregano, cumin, and clove.

About 2 hrTotal

About 1 hr 40 minActive

$$Cost

ModerateDifficulty

Makes 8 servings

Equipment

Use a hot sheet pan under an inverted oven-safe metal bowl for the covered phase.
Best value covered pot
Lodge Essential Enamel 6-Quart Dutch Oven · EC6D43
View at Amazon
Another workable path: Use a hot sheet pan under an inverted oven-safe metal bowl for the covered phase.
Paid links. As an Amazon Associate, Kwilt earns from qualifying purchases.
How we chose
Research-backed · reviewed Aug 2026
We matched capacity, lid fit, oven rating, heat retention, maneuverability, care, stable model identity, and usefulness outside bread baking. Kwilt has not baked with this pot.
Lodge Essential Enamel 6-Quart Dutch Oven · EC6D43: The six-quart capacity, heavy cast-iron body, and fitted lid create the enclosed high-heat environment used by these bread methods while remaining useful beyond baking. Trade-off: At more than thirteen pounds it is demanding to move when hot, and the enamel needs gentler utensils and hand washing.
Another workable path: Bake on a preheated heavy sheet pan under an inverted oven-safe metal bowl, keeping face and hands clear when removing the hot cover.
Sources
Lodge six-quart Essential Enamel specifications
Amazon exact product listing

Ingredients

1× recipe · Makes 8 servings

4 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon black pepper
6 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
3 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
1 dried chipotle chile
4 Roma tomatoes, halved
1/2 white onion
5 garlic cloves
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3 tablespoons neutral oil
2 bay leaves
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
16 warm corn tortillas

Instructions

Season chicken with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Toast dried chiles briefly without blackening, soak in hot water 20 minutes, and broil tomatoes, onion, and garlic until spotted.
Blend drained chiles, roasted vegetables, vinegar, orange juice, oregano, cumin, cloves, remaining salt, and 1 cup stock until smooth; strain.
Heat oil in a . Brown chicken skin-side down in batches, 7 to 9 minutes, then turn for 2 minutes and transfer. Pour off excess fat, leaving 2 tablespoons.
Add adobo carefully and fry, stirring, until darkened and glossy, 10 minutes. Add bay and remaining stock, then nestle chicken skin-side up.
Cover partially and simmer gently until chicken reaches at least 175°F at the thickest thigh and sauce coats a spoon, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove bay, rest 10 minutes, and serve with tortillas.

MexicoMexican regional and household cooking

From the table

About this recipe

Mexican adobo is a family of chile, acid, aromatic, and spice preparations used across meats and regions. It is distinct from Filipino adobo and from the prepared condiment called chipotles en adobo.

Mexican adobo is a family of chile, acid, aromatics, and spice preparations used across meats and regions; it is distinct from Filipino adobo and from a jar of chipotles en adobo. This guajillo-ancho chicken branch balances vinegar with orange and fries the strained sauce before braising, which removes raw chile harshness. This Kwilt version follows the reviewed household adaptation: Choose a dried-red-chile braised branch, synthesize repeated ancho-guajillo structure, and use exact sauce-frying and dark-meat endpoints.

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Mexican · Dinner

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About 1 hr 40 min12 enchiladas