Samantha Quintero

There’s something soul-satisfying and languorous about authentically inspired dishes that take time to prepare. At Bombo, a modern Mexican concept, Head Chef Samantha Quintero understands this, leaning on cooking techniques like brining and smoking to create the Pollo Ahumado. But Quintero also recognizes the value of marrying such traditions with contemporary touches to elevate the overall flavor experience. Thus, her dish also features an unconventional mole verde, made with tomatillos and herbs to bring out a verdant green.

Quintero begins by brining deboned, skin-on half-chicken portions in a house marinade, then smoking the meat with almond wood before cooking it in the oven. After resting, it’s sliced and served on a bed of mole verde and then topped with a nopal cactus salad, made with a capers-cactus-citrus salsa. “As you take a bite, you can taste the smokiness and fattiness of the chicken and the crispiness of the skin,” says Quintero, calling the smoke the flavor standout. “The mole further brings out the nutty flavor of the smoke and the acid of the salsa rounds out the dish with a soft but mighty punch.”