Smoked Chipotle Chihuahua Chicken Sausages
The Chipotle Chihuahua Chicken sausages, made from scratch using skin-on chicken thighs is juice deliciousness with a kick!
Things to know:
What is the history of the chipotle pepper?
The chipotle pepper is a smoke-dried jalapeño that dates back to ancient Mesoamerica. Originally created by indigenous peoples in regions like Veracruz, the smoking and drying process was developed to preserve quickly spoiling peppers.
Aztec Origins: The name comes from the Nahuatl word chilpoctli, which translates directly to “smoked chili”.
The Ripening Process: Fresh jalapeños are left on the vine until they turn fully red and lose moisture, at which point they are harvested and wood-smoked for several days.
Varieties: The two primary types of chipotle are the smaller, reddish-purple Morita (most common in the U.S.) and the larger, grayish-tan Meco (primarily used in Mexico).
Global Spread: Following the Spanish arrival in the 1500s, the preserved chilies became some of the first peppers introduced to Europe and the rest of the world.
Modern Expansion: While long utilized in traditional Mexican kitchens, chipotle experienced a massive surge in global popularity during the 1990s. This was accelerated by its adoption in Tex-Mex cuisine, the invention of commercial chipotle sauces, and the launch of the famous fast-casual restaurant chain.
What is Chihuahua cheese?
Chihuahua cheese (also known as queso Chihuahua or queso menonita) is a semi-soft, creamy cow’s milk cheese native to the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Originally developed by Mennonite communities in the 1920s, it is prized for its mild, buttery flavor and excellent melting qualities.
What is equivalent to Chihuahua cheese?
The closest and most widely available equivalents to Chihuahua cheese are Monterey Jack, Muenster, and mild white cheddar. They all share Chihuahua cheese’s soft, semi-soft texture and creamy, mild flavor profile.
What makes Chihuahua cheese different?
In contrast to fresh Mexican cheeses like queso fresco and queso blanco, chihuahua is a cheese that melts easily. Its texture is soft and supple at room temperature, and it becomes smooth, stretchy, and velvety when heated.
Ingredients:
Chipotle Chihuahua Chicken Sausages
4 lbs ground deboned skin-on chicken thighs
1 cup shredded Chihuahua cheese
6 sturdy hoagie buns
Cilantro Avocado Cream Sauce (recipe below)
1. Remove the bones from skin-on chicken thighs and chuck the whole thing into a meat grinder with a large dye installed.
2. Mix in the cheese and chipotles, then stuff the sausage into natural casing.
3. About 4.5 hours before you intend to serve these super sausages, preheat your smoker to 170F.
4. Once your smoker hits the target temp, chuck your sausages into it and smoke them for 1.5 hours.
5. Remove the sausages from the smoker and chuck them into an ice bath.
6. After 15 minutes in the ice bath, remove the sausages, dry them with paper towels and place them on a wire rack with a baking sheet. Chuck them into the fridge for at least 30 minutes. (Steps 1-6 can be done days earlier if you wish to speed up your sausage day meal prep.)
7. While the sausages are in the fridge, bump your smoker’s temp to 225F.
8. Chuck your cool, dry sausages back into the smoker until they hit an internal temperature of 165F. This should take about 90 minutes.
9. Toast the hoagies, apply the cream sauce, gently lay your sausage on top, serve and ENJOY!
Cilantro Avocado Cream Sauce
1 avocado
1/4 cup cilantro
1/4 jalapeño, seeds and membrane reserved
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
1/2 lime, juiced
2 T olive oil
1/4 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
1. Place all the ingredients In a food processor or blender.
2. Process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides a few times. You can also keep it a bit chunky based on your preference.
3. Enjoy right away or keep in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
Equipment used:
Yoder YS640S Smoker
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