Yucatecan Recado Negro

1.Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

2.Place the dried ancho, guajillo, pasilla, and habanero chiles on a baking sheet. Roast them in the oven for about 5-7 minutes until they are fragrant and slightly darkened. Be careful not to burn them.

3.Remove the chiles from the oven and let them cool. Once cooled, remove the stems and seeds.

4.In a spice grinder or blender, combine the roasted chiles, achiote seeds, black peppercorns, cumin seeds, dried oregano, dried thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Grind until you have a fine powder.

5.In a large bowl, mix the ground spice blend with apple cider vinegar, orange juice, and water to form a thick paste.

6.Rub the chicken pieces thoroughly with the recado negro paste. Let it marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, in the refrigerator.

7.In a large pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic, and sauté until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant, about 5 minutes.

8.Add the marinated chicken pieces to the pot and brown them on all sides, about 5-7 minutes.

9.Pour in the chicken broth and add the bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 1 hour, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

10.Remove the bay leaves and discard them. Adjust the seasoning with salt if necessary.

11.Serve the recado negro hot, garnished with chopped cilantro.