Pollo Pibil

Name: Pollo Pibil
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1.2kg chicken pieces, on the bone; 100g achiote (annatto) paste; 200ml sour orange juice (or orange and lime juice); 4 garlic cloves, oregano and cumin; Banana leaves, softened over a flame; Pickled red onion with habanero, to serve; Corn tortillas

Pollo pibil/POH-yoh pee-BEEL/

Also known as: Yucatan Pollo Pibil, Achiote Chicken, Yucatecan Chicken in Banana Leaves

About this dish

Chicken marinated in achiote paste and sour orange juice, wrapped in banana leaves and slowly baked until tender.

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Ingredients

🍗1.2kg chicken pieces, on the bone

🌶️100g achiote (annatto) paste

🍊200ml sour orange juice (or orange and lime juice)

🧄4 garlic cloves, oregano and cumin

🍃Banana leaves, softened over a flame

🧅Pickled red onion with habanero, to serve

🌮Corn tortillas

Method

Serves 2

Blend the achiote with the citrus juice, garlic and spices.

Coat the chicken and marinate overnight.

Wrap the chicken and marinade in banana leaves inside a baking dish.

Cover and bake at 170°C (340°F) for 1.5–2 hours until falling off the bone.

Shred and serve with pickled onion and tortillas.

✓ What Makes it Authentic

Pollo pibil is the chicken version of Yucatán's famous cochinita pibil; 'pib' is the Mayan word for an earth oven.

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