Tinga Chicken

Directions

1. Working with any type of peppers, you may want to wear rubber gloves when handling them or at least wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.
2. In a dry skillet, heat the dried peppers for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove seeds and stems.
3. In a large pot, combine the chicken parts, all peppers, garlic, onion, tomato, bay leaves, oregano, cumin, and allspice. Add enough water to cover the chicken and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is falling off the bone.
4. Set the pot aside to cool, then remove the chicken to a plate. Debone the chicken and shred it using a fork in each hand.
5. Remove the bay leaves. Scoop the vegetables into a blender with a slotted spoon and blend to make your sauce, adding as much of the cooking liquid as you need to get a thick, saucy consistency. Alternately, if what's left in the pot doesn't look too watery, you can use an immersion blender directly in the pot. Add the cider vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.
6. Add the chicken back to the pot with the sauce and heat it back up over medium heat. It's ready!
7. Serving suggestion: Spread refried beans onto a chalupa. Add Tinga Chicken and top with crumbled cotija cheese or queso fresco, sliced avocado, and chopped tomato and cilantro.