Thigh Time For Great Chicken

This trend has legs: Look beyond the always popular chicken breast and discover why thighs are top choice with today’s creative chefs. Packed into those meaty limbs is a versatility that’s hard to match. They stay juicy, flavorful and tender whether grilled, pan fried, baked, braised, broiled or smoked…and deliver some of chicken’s best pricing.

Salute to the Salbute

Popular for as a snack or small meal food, salbutes are puffed deep fried tortillas topped to order with lettuce, sliced avocado, pulled chicken or turkey, tomato and pickled red onion. The base is fried masa, a white corn that has been boiled and then ground into a flour. Native to the Yucatan peninsula, salbutes are frequently found at fast food restaurants called panucherias which also serve panuchos (similar to salbutes but with black beans), tostadas and tortas.

Salbutes con Pollo

INGREDIENTS

2 C Corn Masa Harina ½ Tsp Salt Table Iodized ¾ C water ¼ Tsp Baking Powder Tub 6 Tbsp Oil Salad Liquid Soybean 2 C Cabbage Green 1/8" Shred w/Color Separate 4 Ea Persian Lime ½ Tsp Salt Coarse Kosher 4 oz Tomato, small diced 2 Ea Avocado Halves Hass

PREPARATION

Juice the limes and toss the cabbage with the lime juice and salt. Set aside.

Place the masa harina, baking powder, and salt into a mixing bowl. Using your hands, gradually add the water, mixing until a dough forms. Divide dough into 12, then roll these into perfect balls. Flatten each ball between two pieces of plastic, pressing down evenly to form round discs.

Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium. When hot enough, drop 2 to 3 pastry discs into the oil and let it cook for about 2 minutes before flipping over. Drain on paper towel lined plate.

To assemble, lay the fried tortillas flat. Top each with the lime marinated cabbage and then the chicken en escabeche. Be sure to include some of the vegetables with the shredded chicken en the escabeche. Finish by garnishing with diced tomato and sliced avocado.