Tinga De Pollos A La Regente
"Tinga De Pollo La Regente Style"
From the treasured pages of La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 2
Written by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo
Tinga De Pollos A La Regente
"Limpiados los pollos y divididos en raciones comunes se ponen á cocer; en seguida se pica bastante gitomate, ajo, cebolla y perejil; bien frito todo esto en la manteca suficiente, se le echa un poco del caldo de los pollos y las raciones de éstos, la sal necesaria y se deja sazonar; cuando ya le falte poco se le agregan unos chipotles en vinagre hechos rajas y unas sardinas deshuesadas y sin pellejo. Antes de que se seque enteramente se aparta poniéndole por encima hojas de lechuga y aguacate rebanado."
English Translation
"Once the chickens are cleaned and divided into common portions, they are set to cook; meanwhile, chop plenty of tomato, garlic, onion, and parsley; once all of this is well fried in enough lard, add a bit of the chicken broth and the chicken portions, the necessary salt, and let it season; when it is nearly done, add some pickled chipotles cut into strips and some sardines, boned and skinless. Before it dries out completely, remove from heat and top with lettuce leaves and sliced avocado."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe, like many of its era, assumes culinary intuition—quantities are unspecific, and timing depends on the cook’s experience. Instructions are concise and practical for the home cook of the period, often omitting details considered common knowledge. Notably, old spellings such as 'gitomate' for tomato reflect regional orthography and oral tradition, while 'pollos' (in plural) signals this dish was often meant for a festive gathering. The output relies on sequential, descriptive prose rather than precise measurements, reflecting the flexible, adaptive cooking style of 19th-century Mexican kitchens.
Title
La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 2 (1890)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Antonio Vanegas Arroyo
Era
1890
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A charming pocket-sized volume from the 'Cocina en el Bolsillo' series, brimming with delightful recipes for a variety of foods and offering a flavorful glimpse into historical culinary traditions.
Kindly made available by
University of Texas at San Antonio
This spirited dish hails from the vibrant streets of late-19th-century Mexico, printed in the influential 'La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 2' from 1890, a household culinary booklet published by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo. The cookbook was aimed at middle- and working-class urban households, providing approachable yet sophisticated versions of classic recipes. Tinga de Pollos a la Regente represents a crossroads of indigenous Mexican and European flavors, with smoky chipotle and sardines hinting at both local tradition and distant Spanish trade influences. The inclusion of garnish like avocado and lettuce on top embodies the period’s penchant for visual appeal and freshness.
Cooks in the 1890s would have prepared this dish using basic tools: a large olla (earthenware or metal pot) for simmering the chicken, a sharp knife and wooden chopping block for the vegetables, and a broad comal or frying pan for sautéing. Melting lard over a wood-fired or coal stove was standard, lending extra depth to the dish. Food would be served on large platters, with the garnishes added just before presenting the dish at the table, exuding elegance and hospitality.
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
50 mins
Servings
6
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 2 medium chickens (about 4.5 lbs), jointed
- 10 1/2 cups water
- Salt, to taste
- 1 1/3 lbs ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
- 2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 large onion (7 oz), finely chopped
- 3/4 oz fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup pork lard (or vegetable oil)
- 1 cup chicken broth (from cooking the chickens)
- 2-3 chipotle chiles in vinegar, sliced (substitute: canned chipotles en adobo if needed)
- 2-3 sardines, boneless and skinless, preserved in oil if fresh is unavailable
- Fresh lettuce leaves, for garnish
- 1-2 avocados, sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- Begin by cleaning and jointing 2 medium chickens (about 4.5 lbs total) into serving pieces.
- Place them in a large pot, cover with water (about 10 1/2 cups), season with salt, and bring to a gentle simmer, skimming off any foam.
- Cook until the chicken is just tender, about 30-40 minutes; reserve the cooking broth.
- Finely chop 1 1/3 lbs ripe tomatoes, 2-3 garlic cloves, 1 large onion (about 7 oz), and a small bunch of fresh parsley (about 3/4 oz).
- Heat 1/4 to 1/3 cup melted pork lard (or neutral oil as a substitute) in a large, deep pan.
- Sauté the chopped tomato, garlic, onion, and parsley until softened and well-fried, about 10-12 minutes.
- Add about 1 cup reserved chicken broth, then nestle the cooked chicken pieces into the sauce.
- Season with additional salt to taste and let simmer gently for 10-12 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
- A few minutes before serving, slice 2-3 pickled chipotle chiles into strips and add them to the pan, along with 2-3 boneless, skinless sardines (preferably preserved in olive oil), broken into chunks.
- Let everything heat through until just moist but not too dry.
- To serve, arrange the chicken and sauce on a platter, garnish with fresh lettuce leaves and slices of ripe avocado (1-2 medium avocados).
- Serve promptly.
Estimated Calories
540 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It takes about 25 minutes to prepare and chop the ingredients, and about 50 minutes to cook everything. Each serving contains about 540 calories. This recipe makes 6 servings.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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