Chicken with Creamy Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 (5 pound) whole chicken
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
• 2 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 2 red peppers, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 jalapeno peppers, sliced into rings
• 1 onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• fresh cilantro, chopped

Step 1

Place the chicken breast-side up in a large pot along with the chicken broth, water, Mexican crema, tomatoes, red peppers, jalapeno peppers, onion, garlic, oregano, bay leaf, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Make sure everything is mostly covered by the liquid. Bring it to a gentle boil over medium heat, then lower the heat, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about an hour.

Step 2

After that, carefully flip the chicken over using tongs, cover again, and continue simmering until the chicken is fully cooked—this should take around 30 minutes. You can check by poking the thickest part of the thigh with a meat thermometer; it should read 165°F (74°C).

Step 3

Once cooked, take the chicken out and set it aside. Turn the heat up to high and let the sauce boil for 5 to 10 minutes, skimming off any fat that rises to the surface.

Step 4

Finally, cut the chicken into pieces that are easy to serve, toss them back into the pot, stir in some chopped cilantro, and cook just until everything is heated through—about 5 minutes.