Recipe for cooking drunken papaya chicken

Recipes from Mexico :: Mexican Main Dishes Poultry

1/2 c. fresh lime juice
1/2 c. fresh orange juice
1/3 c. dark rum
4 garlic cloves, pressed
2 tsp. grated lime peel (with no white included)
2 tsp. grated orange peel (with no white included)
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
2 1/2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
4 1/2 lbs. chicken drumsticks and thighs,
    rinsed and patted dry
Salt and freshly-ground pepper
1 1/2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 papaya, peeled, seeded and diced

Combine lime and orange juices, rum, garlic, lime and orange zests, vinegar and sugar in a blender and process until smooth.

Prick the chicken all over with the tines of a fork and rub generously with salt and pepper. Place in a large bowl and toss with the lime-orange marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit.

Place chicken in a large roasting pan, reserving the marinade. Brush the chicken with oil and bake for 15 mins. until it begins to brown.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees fahrenheit and bake an additional 10 mins.

Remove chicken from the oven and add papaya and reserved marinade. Return to the oven and bake, basting with the marinade until the chicken is falling off the bone, about 1/2 an hour.

Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Taste the sauce and add salt if needed. Spoon the sauce and papaya over the chicken, then serve.