Chicken Ingredients:
5 cloves garlic
1 3-4 lb chicken (I just use 3 or 4 big chicken breasts pounded flatter so they cook evenly because my family doesn't really care for the dark meat)
2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 425*. If using a whole chicken season cavity with salt and pepper and stuff with a whole head of garlic that has been cut in half horizontally. If using breasts don't worry about it. Smash the 5 garlic cloves, sprinkle with the 2 tsp of salt and mash and smear it all together with a large knife until it becomes a coarse paste. Put mixture in small bowl and mix with vinegar, pepper, and cumin. Rub mixture on outside of chicken. Whisk soy sauce and sugar together and brush all over chicken. If using a whole chicken tie the legs and wings in and set breast side down on a v-rack or in a roasting pan. If using breasts lay pieces in a roasting or 9x13 pan. Brush chicken with oil. Roast in oven until golden brown. For whole chicken about 35-40 minutes, turn over, baste, then continue roasting another 20-25 minutes. For breasts 35 minutes was just about right. When done cooking let chicken sit for about 10 minutes before cutting so the juices redistribute.
Sauce Ingredients:
3/4 C fresh cilantro
1/3 C cotija cheese (when I can't find any I've used feta and it works okay, too)
1/3 C extra virgin olive oil
1/3 C water
2-3 jalapenos, stemmed, seeded, and diced (When I make it for my mom I just use one big anaheim since she can't handle the heat but I prefer it with the jalapenos)
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Puree everything in a blender until it's smooth. It turns a pretty green color and you can still see flecks of cilantro in it. I usually make jasmine rice to go with (plain white rice would be fine, too) and drizzle both the rice and chicken with the sauce.
Recipe from Cousin Annie.
