Cinnamon Roasted Chicken with Pasilla Pan Sauce

Anyone tired of winter yet? Mr. Tess shoveled a path so the cats can sit on the patio. This is Ursula, the little bear, called Sula.

Mr. Tess also made this favorite chicken recipe while I was stressed with work. It’s a recipe we’ve made many times, though not recently—I’d forgotten about how delicious it is. I first found the recipe on the CooksTalk (the forum that got me started on studying Japanese cooking). The original poster no longer appears in the forum very often, and because the search function there leaves a lot to be desired, I want to place the recipe on my blog. Yes, I’ve printed a copy every time we’ve made it, but somehow recipes get lost. Or forgotten. Besides, if it’s here others may find it, make it, and enjoy it.

Cinnamon Roasted Chicken with Pasilla Pan Sauce
Source of Recipe: Robert del Grande

• 1 chicken (about 3 pounds) or chicken thighs
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 corn tortilla, cut in quarters
• 2 plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
• 1/4 white onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 ounces mushrooms, stemmed and chopped
• 3 pasilla chilies, stemmed and seeded
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Spatchcock the chicken: cut out the backbone, open up the bird, place the it skin side up, and press firmly to flatten. Make slits in skin near tail to tuck ends of legs through. You can also tuck the wing tips into slits up front to avoid burning.
Combine cinnamon, chili powder, salt and pepper. Brush chicken with 1 Tbsp olive oil and rub chicken with spice mixture.
In an oven-proof skillet large enough to hold the chicken, evenly spread tortilla pieces, tomatoes, onion, garlic, mushrooms, pasilla chiles and pumpkin seeds.
Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over vegetables.
Place chicken on top of vegetables and roast until chicken is done.
Remove chicken from pan and brush with some of the pan juices. Keep warm.
Add chicken stock to pan and stir up ingredients and browned bits from bottom of pan.
Transfer to blender and puree until smooth.
Return to pan, bring to boil, add brown sugar and reduce heat to low and simmer for 15- 30 minutes to thicken.
Cut chicken into pieces, add return to sauce to warm.
Serve.

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