Chicken Escabeche

Chicken Escabeche is a unique chicken soup with Yucatec Maya and Spanish influences. The chicken is seasoned with oregano and thyme, then lightly grilled before being roasted and served in a light and clear chicken soup with onions, black pepper, allspice, and jalapeno pepper.

The Jalapeno pepper is not as hot as the Habanero pepper, thus most people can manage it. White sugar cane vinegar and chicken stock provide the soup's foundation. Sour orange is preferred by certain purists. With hand-made corn tortillas, the entrée is served steaming hot. This meal relies heavily on onions, which should preferably be white Mexican onions with little or no bite. Crisp and not overdone onions are ideal.

Chicken Escabeche is a sort of chicken soup in which the main ingredient is onions. The distilled white vinegar added to the soup to make it tangy is the one element that sets this soup apart. The sweet and sour flavor of the soup comes from steeping the onions for exactly the correct length of time.

Ingredients

• 1 Whole Chicken, 6-8 whole spice seeds, 6 oregano leaves or 2 tsp crushed oregano, 6 whole cloves, 1 tsp cumin seeds, salt and pepper to taste, 4 plugs garlic

Instructions

• Season the chicken with salt and pepper before serving. Fill the pot with 6 cups of water, or enough to cover the chicken and have enough broth.
• Then, except for the vinegar and onions, combine all of the ingredients. Reduce the heat to a low setting once the chicken soup has started to boil.
• Cooking time for chicken is roughly 30 minutes, but the soup tastes better if it is cooked for at least 45 minutes.
• Peel and slice the onions, then pull apart the slices to form loose onion rings in a large mixing basin. When the water has reached a boil, pour it over the onions. Allow it to soak for 3-5 minutes in this water.
• Add the vinegar now. Start with 1 cup, whisk it in, and adjust the seasoning to your liking. If you want it a little sourer, add more vinegar; if it's too sour, dilute it with 1 cup water or more. Cook for another 15 to 30 minutes with the onions in the broth.
• Cook for only 15 minutes if you want crisp onions. You can either add the chicken while it's cooking or leave it out and add it when you're ready to serve.