Smoky Chicken Corn Cakes

I tried a new recipe recently, and it was a hit! I thought I would share it with you. My husband's family is from Guatemala, and apparently it resembles a dish familiar to their culture. It comes from Real Simple magazine, May 2007 issue.

1-- 3 1/2- 4 lb. rotisserie chicken (I used a 3 lb. chicken, and it was fine)
1 Tablespoon chopped canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce*
3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
4 Roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
1/3 c. fresh cilantro leaves (I omitted this b/c I have a white girl's palate)
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. yellow cornmeal
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
4 large eggs
1 c. part-skim ricotta
10 oz. frozen corn, thawed
2 tsp. canola oil
1/2 cup sour cream (optional) OR parmesan cheese (our topping of choice)

Using a fork or your fingers, shred chicken meat, discarding the skin and bones. In a medium bowl, combine the meat, chipotle, lime juice, 1/4 tsp. of the salt, the onion, tomatoes, and cilantro; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, pepper, and the remaining salt. Stir in the eggs and ricotta until no lumps remain. Fold in the corn. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. For each corn cake, spoon about 1/4 cup of the batter onto the skillet and cook until golden brown and set on one side, 2 to 3 minutes. Using spatula, flip the cakes and cook 1 minute more. Divide the cakes among individual plates and top with the chicken mixture. Serve with sour cream, if desired (or we prefer parmesan cheese).

*You can find these in the mexican food or international food section of your grocery store. Once you open the can, you can store them in a sealed container in the fridge for a very long time without them going bad. Thank you, Lori Chambers for turning me on to chipotle peppers in adobo sauce!