In my last post I mentioned that salsas in Mexico are probably the most important part of our cuisine. Although there are many of them in every region of the country, one stands out. This is the classic a la mexicana sauce that is used for many dishes. A la mexiana is a term that refers to something being cooked in this salsa: huevos (eggs) a la mexiana, bistec (steak) a la mexicana, pollo (chicken) a la mexicana, etc.
This salsa is called a la mexicana because the three main ingredients, tomatoes, onions and green peppers (either jalapeno or serrano), represent the colors of the Mexican flag. This salsa is very easy to prepare and you can make it to spice up almost anything. This time I made a very simple chicken dinner using it, one of my favorites from my parents’ restaurant, pollo a la mexicana.
Remember that there are just a few days left to participate in our Homemade challenge with any homemade salsa. There are several entries already and they all look delicious. Come see them at the forum.
Pollo a la mexicana
The ingredients:
- 4 chicken thighs in the bone
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups diced tomatoes
- 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
The how-to:
- In a sauce pan sautee onion and garlic. When they start to turn golden brown add the chicken. Brown both sides.
- Add tomato and pepper to the pan mix well. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.
- Add cumin and adjust seasoning. Simmer until the chicken is thoroughly cooked, about 20 minutes.
- Serve with rice and tortillas.
The afterthoughts:
- Some people like to prepare the sauce separately, but I think cooking the chicken in it gives it a much better flavor. You can add other condiments and herbs such as oregano, parsley or cilantro. The heat of this sauce can be adjusted by adding or reducing the amount of peppers.
¡Buen provecho!
17 Replies
I have a brother who won't eat any meal without his salsa. He makes his own and always has a fresh, full bowl in the fridge. Growing up with salsa (or chile) on the table becomes an expected part of your everyday cuisine. Love the recipe.
Posted on September 23rd, 2009 at 4:15 pm
So easy and so good looking Ben! Thights are my favourite too and the salsa makes me droll ;D
Posted on September 23rd, 2009 at 4:51 pm
This is a simple but delicious looking dish.
Posted on September 23rd, 2009 at 6:05 pm
That must have been quite amazing in taste Ben. I do have to say that for some reason the dish itself looks a bit scary…:) Maybe it's the bright red!
Posted on September 23rd, 2009 at 8:44 pm
Delicious Ben! I would definitely be adding cilantro to that sauce.
Posted on September 23rd, 2009 at 10:56 pm
Your a la mexicana sauce sounds delicious. I was thinking it will also taste great with Schnitzel.
Posted on September 24th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
What a great simple dish & I'm sure its full of flavor!
Posted on September 24th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Yummy, like a Mexican Marinara!
Posted on September 24th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
that looks really good because the salsa seems to have become more part of the chicken than a separate topping.
Posted on September 24th, 2009 at 11:32 pm
Guau. Ese plato se ve delicioso. voy a tener que guardar esta receta y preparala muy pronto. ¡Gracias por poner el signo invertido de exclamación!
Posted on September 25th, 2009 at 1:47 am
Looks delicious and really easy to make too! Great recipe!
Posted on September 25th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
What a terrific looking meal! Would love to try this recipe someday.
Posted on September 25th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Simple dish that looks really great. We're ready to eat.
Posted on September 25th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
That chicken looks good! I like how simple ingredients combine to make something do great.
Posted on September 27th, 2009 at 11:14 am
that looks bloody good, ben!….i'll wait til the time i can eat chicken thigh with skin…that time WILL come ^_*
Posted on October 7th, 2009 at 8:11 am
Sounds like a perfect weekday meal! So simple yet so deicious!
Posted on October 14th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
thats a wonderful looking one dish meal. bookmarked!
Posted on November 3rd, 2009 at 6:25 am
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