Whole-Lemon Caldo

The chicken stew you need for an electrically delicious moment. The secret? Recado

You never forget good chicken.

I’m thinking of the perfectly poached Khao Man Gai made by Nong Poonsukwattana in Portland, OR. Nong doesn’t know this, but she pretty much fed me through my broke college years when she opened her food cart in SW Portland back in 2009. It meant I could afford a wholesome meal of juicy chicken poached in ginger, pandan leaves, and garlic. Khao Man Gai means chicken & rice, but it also means her addictive sauce made with fermented soybean, Thai chili, vinegar, and heaps of ginger and garlic, and the delicate broth served on the side meant to be sipped in between bites.

Nong’s Khao Man Gai it’s the chicken dish that successfully ended all of my past vegetarian stints.

And then there is the Pollo Feliz chain throughout Mexico that makes my favorite pollo rostizado. Growing up, my family and I rarely ate out because it was always more affordable to cook at home. My mom was also a shit talker (I got it from her!) and always claimed she made a better version of whatever dish at whatever restaurant. This was *mostly* true, so we almost always ate at home. But for a short period of time right before the sudden devaluation of the peso against the dollar in 1994, we had lunch at Pollo Feliz every day. The perfectly charbroiled chicken served with charred jalapeños, the thick handmade quesadillas with housemade cheese, and the ensalada de nopales was the comfort food we needed when we lost our family business to the financial crisis.

The recipe for this whole-lemon caldo is a chicken stew that is unapologetically electric, high-acid, super savory and super addictive. It floods me with memories of the chicken dishes I love that are nothing but trascendent.

Zuni Café chicken forever.

This caldo relies in a simple recado de toda clase (recado or recaudo) for maximum savoriness. Recado de toda clase is the base for Yucatán’s recado rojo and many guisados in the Península; it is traditionally added to the broth of Sopa de Lima, the citrusy soup at the heart of this recipe that highlights the sweet, bergamot-like citrus that are hard to find outside the region, but where Meyer lemons find their highest purpose.

I use the recado as a marinade to capture the warm spices and the brightness of the fresh citrus juices. The chicken’s skin is browned until crispy, and the chicken finishes cooking in the caldo under a layer of thin slices of whole lemon. I keep it monotone by using an orange bell pepper, and orange Sun Golds that burst in your mouth.

It is everything I ever want in a chicken stew. I hope it is for you, too.

Because I live for a good pun, on this week’s playlist I made just for you: Rosalía with chicken teriyaki, piel canela because yes, there is cinnamon in this recado! and other feel-good songs for this warm and sunny caldo.

Whole-Lemon Caldo

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

2 lemons, preferably Meyer lemon

1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¾ teaspoon ground cumin

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, drumsticks, and chicken breasts

2 tablespoons avocado oil or other neutral oil 

¾ cup finely diced yellow onion

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 pound tiny tomatoes, such as Sun Gold or cherry 

1 bell pepper, finely diced

6 cups chicken broth or water

½ cup peanut oil or another high-heat frying oil such as safflower or canola

6 tortillas, thinly sliced, or 2 cups store-bought totopos

2 cups cooked rice, for serving (optional)

Directions

Step 1

In a small bowl, add orange juice, the juice of one lemon (about 2 tablespoons), oregano, cinnamon, and cumin, and whisk to combine. 

Step 2

Season chicken on both sides with 1 ½ teaspoons of salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Pour the citrus mixture over the chicken until well-coated. Place in a resealable bag or in a bowl covered with a plate, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. But if you can, let it marinade overnight. 

Step 3

Remove chicken from the marinade. Shake off excess marinade and discard. 

Step 4

Add oil to a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Working in two or three batches (depending on the size of your pot), add the chicken skin-side down and cook, turning the chicken with tongs until the skin is crispy and golden brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a large plate and repeat with remaining chicken. 

Step 5

Add onion to the chicken drippings in the pot and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and translucent, 5 minutes. Add the garlic, tomatoes, and bell pepper. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes start to burst, 5 to 7 minutes. Add broth and bring to a simmer. 

Step 6

Put all of the chicken back into the pot. Slice the remaining whole lemon into thin slices, remove any seeds, and add to the pot along with 1 teaspoon of salt. Adjust the heat and gently simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. 

Step 7

Meanwhile, make the tiritas de totopos (if using store-bought totopos, crush them into bite-sized pieces and move on to step 8). Add the frying oil into a small saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering or reaches 275 degrees when checked with a thermometer, fry the tortilla strips until lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes. You may need to do this in 3 batches to avoid crowding the pan. Transfer each batch to a bowl using a slotted spoon and season with salt, about ¼ teaspoon per batch, tossing to coat. Place on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil and repeat with the remaining batches. 

Step 8

Divide the stew among bowls, ladling some of the tomatoes, and one or two pieces of chicken into each bowl. Add some of the soft lemon slices, too. They add a subtle bittersweet bite. Garnish the caldo with the crispy totopos.

Serve with cooked rice (if using) and a spoon, fork and knife if you’re into slicing chicken into juicy broth.

Notes

You can order Nong’s Khao Man Gai incredible bottled sauce here and make it a secret weapon in your pantry.

Some people get married at Pollo Feliz. Make a pit stop next time you’re in Mexico, just make sure to order extra salsa, stacks of their handmade corn tortillas and order your pollo “muy doradito.” And if you ever find yourself at the border crossing in Tecate on your way back to California from Valle de Guadalupe, it makes the perfect lunch for waiting in la línea.