Pollo en Adobo

Heat a dry comal or heavy skillet over medium heat until very hot. Toast the stemmed, seeded ancho and guajillo chile pieces in batches by pressing them flat against the hot surface for 10-15 seconds per side — you will see them puff slightly, change color, and release an intoxicating smoky-sweet fragrance. Do not scorch them black: a toasted chile smells of raisin, chocolate, and dried fruit; a burnt chile smells of acrid carbon and will make your sauce bitter. Once toasted, transfer immediately to a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for 20-30 minutes until completely soft and pliable.

Drain the rehydrated chiles, reserving 120 ml of the soaking liquid (it has flavor but can be bitter — taste before using). Place the chiles in a blender with the quartered onion, garlic, apple cider vinegar, toasted cumin, oregano, cinnamon, and cloves. Add 60 ml of the soaking water and 60 ml fresh water. Blitz to a completely smooth, thick paste, 2-3 minutes on high. The finished adobo should be the color of dark brick, intensely aromatic, slightly sour from the vinegar, and thick enough to coat a spoon. Pass through a fine-mesh strainer if desired for a smoother texture.

Heat the lard in a large, heavy pot (Dutch oven) over high heat until smoking. Working in batches, sear the salted chicken pieces skin-side down for 4-5 minutes without moving until deeply browned. Turn and sear the other side for 2 minutes. Remove and set aside. Reduce heat to medium. Add the adobo paste to the hot fat — it will splatter furiously. Stand back, then stir constantly for 3-4 minutes, frying the paste in the fat. This step, called freír el adobo, transforms the raw chile paste into a deep, complex sauce: the color darkens, the sharp raw smell mellow to something round and toasted, and the fat begins to bleed out visibly — the Mexican equivalent of bhunao.

Return all the seared chicken pieces to the pot with the fried adobo paste. Pour in the chicken stock and stir to combine — the liquid should come about halfway up the chicken. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook over low heat for 45-60 minutes until the chicken is completely tender at the bone. The adobo will penetrate every surface of the chicken. A fork inserted at the thigh joint should meet no resistance and the meat should want to pull from the bone.

Remove the lid and increase heat to medium-high. Cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes, turning the chicken pieces frequently and spooning sauce over them. The adobo will reduce and glaze: each piece of chicken becomes lacquered in a thick, glossy, brick-red coating. The sauce should be thick enough that it coats the back of a spoon and holds for a moment. Taste and adjust salt. Serve over rice or with warm tortillas, with pickled jalapeños and sliced white onion alongside.