Recipe and photo courtesy of Patrick Calhoun (mexicanplease.com), author of Mexican Craving: 9 Easy Steps to Cooking Authentic Mexican at Home
Makes 4 servings
1 whole chicken
1 onion
2 carrots
2 potatoes
1 ancho chile
2 morita chiles*
½ t. cumin
Dash onion powder
2 of 3 tablespoons oil
1 garlic bulb
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
After rinsing the vegetables, roughly chop them into ½-inch sized chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil. Use the vegetables to form a layer in a cast iron skillet or roasting pan.
De-stem and de-seed the chiles. Briefly roast chiles in the oven (or flash them on a hot skillet), then grind them using a spice grinder or blender.
Add ground chiles to a bowl along with ½ teaspoon cumin, dash onion powder, salt, freshly ground pepper, and 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil to form a paste. Mix well.
Pat the chicken dry using paper towels. Thoroughly rub the chile paste into the chicken, getting under the skin when possible. Slice an entire garlic bulb lengthwise and place inside the cavity of the chicken.
Roast at 400°F for 60 to 75 minutes until inner thigh temp reads 150*F to 160*F or until the juices of the inner thigh run clear when pierced.
*Double the moritas (or other heat source) if you prefer things on the spicier side.