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Achiote Chicken Sandwich
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Achiote Pulled Chicken Sandwich

Tex-Mex should be the ultimate go-to kitchen for comfort food dishes. Packed with warm and refreshing flavors that are delicious with a smoky touch. So is this Pulled Chicken in a homemade Achiote sauce. Enjoy your session and the great glorious Tex-Mex meal!
Course lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Mexican, Tex-Mex
Keyword achiote, chicken, homemade, kamado recipes, paste, pulled, sandwich, Traeger
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Brining the chicken 8 hours
Total Time 10 hours 10 minutes
Servings 8 people

Ingredients

  • 12 chicken thighs or 8 chicken legs
  • 16 sandwiches
  • Coleslaw to taste
  • Cilantro

For the brine (chicken)

  • 2 l water
  • 150 gr salt
  • 1 handful of thyme rosemary, oregano
  • 2 tsp crushed mustard seeds
  • 1 handful of dried kaffir lime leaves

For the Achiote Paste (recipe inspired to the one by "The spruce eats")

  • 1/4 cup Annatto seeds
  • 1 tbsp ground coriander seeds
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 pieces of cloves
  • 1 tsp black pepper bulbs
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 1/4 cup lemon syrup

Lemon syrup

  • 5 lemons just the juice
  • 1 dl water
  • 70 gr white granulated sugar

For the Achiote sauce

  • 3 tbsp achiote pasta
  • 250 gr sour cream
  • 250 ml vegetable stock
  • 250 gr ketchup
  • 30 ml tequila
  • lime juice to taste

Instructions

For the Pulled Chicken

  • Mix the ingredients for the brine and heat until the salt is dissolved. Leave to cool and place the chicken in it for 1 night (+-8h).
  • Dab the chicken dry and in the meantime start your BBQ for an indirect session at low temperature (75-100°C).
  • Smoke the chicken to a core temperature of 74°C while making the Achiote paste and sauce.

Making achiote paste

  • Mix the dried herbs and Annato seeds and add them to a grinder. Blend these herbs and seeds into a fine powder.
  • Add the remaining (wet) ingredients and blend until you get a tasty paste.

For the Achiote based sauce.

  • Place a bowl on medium heat and fry the Achiote based pasta in it for +- 2 minutes.
  • Deglaze with the Tequila and then add the ketchup, vegetable stock and sour cream.
  • Let it simmer until the flavors are mixed. As soon as the chicken reaches a core temperature of 74°C, add the chicken to this sauce and simmer until the chicken falls apart.

Finishing

  • Take a sandwich and add a coleslaw of your choice together with coriander and some lime juice.
  • Add the Achiote style pulled chicken to the sandwich and finish with some fresh coriander.

Enjoy your meal!