Wine & Food Pairing: Pablo's Pollo Loco

Pollo Loco (half of chicken) with Chunky Avocado Salsa and Stuffed Anaheim Chili Pepper

Chicken Marinade (Ingredients)

• 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ¼ bunch cilantro leaves chopped very fine
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1 ea jalapeno, de stemmed and minced (w/ seeds if want a little hit)
• 2 ea limes zested- reserve pulp for the olive oil
• ¼ olive oil

Instructions: Mix everything except the olive oil and lime pulp well and spread all over both sides of the boned chicken- heavier on the skin than flesh sides. Add the oil and lime pulp, and then marinate for 24 hours. Pan sear in a very hot pan skin side down until crisp and cooked all the way through.

Chunky Avocado Salsa (ingredients)

• 3 ea avocados, scooped out of the skin
• 2 tablespoon diced red onions
• ¼ cup fresh Roma tomato minced (w/ seeds)
• 1 ea jalapeno seeded and minced
• 1 ea lime juice only
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of white pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions: Combine all the ingredients except the oil, mix well, whisk in the oil, check/taste for proper seasoning

Stuffed Anaheim chili pepper (Ingredients)

• ¼ lb jack cheese, grated
• ¼ lb cheddar, grated
• 6 Anaheim peppers

Instructions: Drop the chilies into the hot oil just until the skin blisters but don't cook the chile, cover to steam and when cool enough to handle peel. Carefully trim off the top with the stem attached trim off the seed base and pull out any/ all seeds and membranes. Combine cheeses with the cilantro and mix well. Gently fill chilies with cheese mixture, reserve for service.

To Assemble:
At the restaurant we serve it with corn grits, perfect pair, but this chicken it goes with everything roasted vegetables, polenta, sweet cream corn, braised greens. On the plate set the cooked chicken, avocado on top and stuffed chili peppers. Buen Provecho!!!