Here’s a quick, easy midweek dinner idea: Achiote Chicken Rainbow Hash. The star of this dish is the crispy, pan-seared chicken that sits atop a colorful vegetable hash, finished with a touch of heat from poblano chiles.
Achiote oil is simply annatto seeds steeped in oil; it adds a subtle, authentic flavor and a warm red hue to the chicken. If you don’t have achiote oil on hand, use regular vegetable oil instead — the achiote is optional but nice when available.
Hominy is often overlooked outside of traditional Mexican dishes like posole, but it’s a wonderful ingredient to add here. Made from whole corn kernels treated to remove the hull, hominy offers a distinct corn flavor and a pleasing, slightly chewy texture. I use canned hominy occasionally because it’s convenient and works perfectly in this hash.
Heat the achiote oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shredded chicken, cumin, chili seasoning and a pinch of salt. Pan-sear the chicken until it becomes crisp and golden on the edges. Remove the chicken from the pan and keep warm while you prepare the vegetables.
Return the skillet to medium heat and add a little more achiote oil if needed. Add the diced butternut squash, diced red potato, diced red onion, diced poblano chiles and the garlic. Toss to coat the vegetables in oil, then cover the skillet and cook until the squash and potatoes are fork-tender, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the cooked hominy and the flour, coating the vegetables evenly. Add the white wine and chicken stock, then stir to combine. Let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes so the sauce thickens slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt as needed.
To serve, plate the pan-seared chicken over the vegetable and hominy medley. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over the dish. Enjoy!
Achiote Chicken Rainbow Hash
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups dark chicken shredded
- 2 tbsp achiote oil or vegetable oil
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp chili seasoning
- pinch salt
- 2 cups butternut squash diced
- 1 medium red potato diced
- 1 red onion diced
- 2 poblano chiles diced
- 3 cloves garlic diced
- 1 cup hominy drained
- 1 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1 cup chicken stock
Instructions
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Heat the achiote oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shredded chicken, cumin, chili seasoning and salt. Pan-sear until crispy on all sides. Set aside and keep warm.
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To the same pan add a little more achiote oil, the diced butternut squash, potato, red onion, poblano chiles and garlic; toss to coat. Cover and cook until the squash and potatoes are fork-tender, about 10 minutes.
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Add the cooked hominy and the flour, stirring to coat the vegetables. Pour in the white wine and chicken stock, stir to combine and cook 5 minutes until the sauce thickens. Season to taste with salt.
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Plate the pan-seared chicken over the vegetable and hominy medley. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
Nutrition
The nutrition information is an estimate provided by an online calculator and should not replace professional advice.