Oaxaca Street Chicken Cauliflower
Serve it hot with tortillas, fresh garnishes, and flaky sea salt.
This dish is a playful homage to the rotisserie chicken stands that line the streets of Oaxaca—their unmistakable aroma of oregano, cumin, and onions hanging in the air as you walk past, wishing you hadn’t taken that last bite at your previous stop so you could savor just one more piece of that golden, glistening bird. The idea was to infuse those same flavors into cauliflower using a court-bouillon—pure witchery, really. It’s like capturing the essence of a Oaxaca rotisserie chicken taco, but with tender, whole roasted cauliflower taking center stage. The spiced court-bouillon brings smoky, citrusy depth, while the chile mayo crust adds a perfect texture and fat. We roasted ours in the Traeger, but roasting it in your oven will work just as well. Serve it hot with tortillas, fresh garnishes, and flaky sea salt.
THE RECIPE:
INGREDIENTS
For the Court-Bouillon:
½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons achiote seeds
8 cloves, toasted
6 allspice berries, toasted
1 tablespoon black peppercorns, toasted
2 chiles de árbol, toasted
2 quarts water
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 lemon, halved
2 orange slices
1 sprig fresh thyme
3 fresh bay leaves
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons salt
1 cup sugar
1 whole cauliflower
For the Chipotle Mayo:
8 oz Kewpie mayonnaise
2 oz canned chipotles in adobo
1 tablespoon sriracha
1 teaspoon ground achiote
1 teaspoon salt
To Serve:
Warm tortillas
Lime wedges
Pickled onions
Sliced radishes
Fresh cilantro
Sliced raw serranos
Flaky sea salt