Start to Finish: 45 Minutes | Servings: 4
Chilorio, a pulled pork from the Mexican state of Sinaloa, inspired this dish. But instead of the traditional pork shoulder, we used faster-cooking chicken thighs. Fresh orange juice amplified the fruity notes of the guajillo chilies while giving the sauce a natural sweetness; a little vinegar and honey helped balance the flavors. Serve the chicken with Mexican rice or tortillas, or use it as a filling for tacos. Diced white onion, sliced radishes and/or crumbled queso fresco are excellent garnishes.
Don’t forget to trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs before cooking to prevent the dish from being greasy.
INGREDIENTS
1 ounce guajillo chilies (5 medium), stemmed, seeded and torn into 1-inch pieces
1½ cups orange juice
5 medium garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Kosher salt
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
At least 1 hour before baking, heat oven to 550°F (or 500°F if that’s your oven’s maximum temperature), with a baking steel or stone on the upper-middle rack. Place a second rack in the lower-middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
Arrange the eggplant slices in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Brush both sides with oil, using all of the oil. Roast on the lower-middle rack until soft and golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes (12 minutes in a 500°F oven). Let cool slightly, then chop the eggplant into 1-inch pieces. In a medium bowl, combine the eggplant, tomatoes, shallot, garlic, 2 tablespoons za’atar and 1 teaspoon salt.
Dust a baking peel, inverted baking sheet or rimless cookie sheet with semolina. Transfer the first dough round to the peel and, if needed, reshape into a 10-inch circle. Spread half of the eggplant mixture evenly over it, leaving a ½-inch border at the edge. Sprinkle with half the feta and 1 tablespoon of pine nuts. Bake until the crust is well browned, 7 to 10 minutes (9 to 12 minutes in a 500°F oven).
Using the peel, transfer the pizza to a wire rack. Let cool for a couple of minutes. Meanwhile, repeat with the second dough round and remaining ingredients.
