Raw or cooked chicken can be stored in a refrigerator for a few days, though it’s important to prevent raw chicken juices from leaking and contaminating other foods. Ensure that chicken remains in its original packaging (which should be vacuum-sealed or tightly-wrapped) until it is ready to be cooked.
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Next: How to Freeze Chicken
While freezing will make your chicken less tender and juicy, it is the perfect way to store the family-sized pack you bought at Costco last weekend. Remove the chicken from its original packaging and rewrap it tightly using aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or freezer paper. Double wrap if you are planning to store the chicken for more than two months. Ground chicken can last up to three months in the freezer, while chicken pieces can last up to nine.
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Next: How to Thaw Chicken
You should never thaw chicken at room temperature, as it is highly susceptible to bacteria growth. Frozen chicken should either be thawed in the microwave, in the refrigerator, or in cold water (which should be changed every 30 minutes).
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Next: How to Store Chicken
It’s hard to dislike chilaquiles, a not particularly pretty mishmash of fried corn tortillas bathed in a fiery chile sauce and topped with anything from eggs to cheese to leftover chicken. Colloquially, the term has come to mean “a broken-up old sombrero,” alluding to the bits of broken-up tortillas that are the dish’s defining ingredient.
Special equipment: A 12-inch cast iron skillet is perfect for making chilaquiles, but any large, heavy-bottomed frying pan will do.
What to buy: Look for dried ancho chiles and Cotija cheese in Latin grocery stores and gourmet markets.
Crème fraîche and crema are both types of naturally thickened fresh cream (the French and Mexican versions, respectively) with a tangy flavor and rich texture. If you can’t find either, sour cream is a decent substitute, but you may need to thin it with a little water so that it’s easier to drizzle.
Game plan: Top the chilaquiles with leftover rotisserie chicken from the grocery store or poach your own. To poach, combine 3 skinless chicken thighs, 1 peeled garlic clove, 2 bay leaves, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 10 peppercorns in a medium pot, cover with cold water, and simmer until chicken thighs are cooked through. When the thighs are cool enough to handle, shred the meat. Of course, our homemade Guacamole recipe is an ideal pairing.
If you’re sensitive to spiciness, remove the seeds and membranes from the serrano chiles.
This dish was featured as part of our Chile Pepper Recipes photo gallery.
Cinco de Mayo
