Bobby Flay’s Yucatán Chicken Puffy Tacos with Peanut–Red Chile Barbecue Sauce and Red Cabbage Slaw

Preparation

1. Step 1

   To make the chicken, whisk together the orange and lime juices, oil, chile powder, and garlic in a shallow baking dish. Add the chicken thighs, and turn to coat. Marinate for 1 to 4 hours in the refrigerator.

   Step 2

   Heat a grill to high or a grill pan over high heat.

   Step 3

   Remove the thighs from the marinade and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes on each side, brushing with some of the peanut–red chile sauce during the last few minutes of grilling. Remove from the grill, let rest for 5 minutes, and then shred into bite-size pieces.

   Step 4

   Heat the chicken stock and 1/2 cup of the peanut–red chile sauce in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Keep warm.

   Step 5

   To make the tacos, heat 2 inches of oil in a large deep pot to 350°F.

   Step 6

   Combine the masa mix, salt, and 1 1/4 cups warm water in a large bowl, and mix until a smooth dough forms; add more water, a tablespoon at a time, if needed. Pull off pieces of dough and roll them into balls about the size of a Ping-Pong ball. Keep them covered with a piece of plastic wrap or a clean dish towel so they don’t dry out.

   Step 7

   Cut a plastic food storage bag open down both sides, leaving the bottom attached, to form a rectangle. Lay one side of the plastic over the bottom of a tortilla press. Place a ball of dough in the center, and fold the other side of the plastic over the dough. Shut the top of the tortilla press and press firmly down on the dough to shape the tortilla.

   Step 8

   Drop the tortilla into the hot oil. When the tortilla floats to the surface, use a metal spatula to repeatedly douse the top with hot oil until it begins to puff up. (If the tortilla does not begin to puff, gently pat it with the spatula.) Flip it over, and using another spatula to support the side, press the first spatula into the center of the tortilla to form a taco shape. This process takes approximately 60 seconds. Transfer the taco to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.

   Step 9

   Fill each taco with some of the chicken, drizzle with a few tablespoons of the peanut–red chile sauce, and top with the slaw.

2. Peanut–Red Chile Barbecue Sauce

   Step 10

   Heat the oil in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and ginger, and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and 1 cup water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes . Add the ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire, mustard, brown sugar, honey, molasses, chile powders, and chipotle. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened to about 1 1/2 cups, 30 to 40 minutes.

   Step 11

   Puree the mixture in a food processor until smooth; season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a clean saucepan and add the chicken stock and soy sauce. Boil over high heat until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the peanut butter and cook for 1 minute. Pour into a bowl and cool to room temperature.

3. Red Cabbage Slaw

   Step 12

   Combine the cabbage and onion in a large bowl. Whisk the vinegar, orange juice, oil, and honey together in a small bowl, and pour over the cabbage. Add the cilantro and mint, and season with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.