Chicken Chileatole

Chileatole is one of those untranslatable Mexican terms like enchilada or tamal. In the central Gulf coast states, including Veracruz, chileatoles are usually soup-stews made with a masa thickening and either fresh or dried chiles. Probably the most delicious ones I’ve tasted have come from the mountain-foothill towns of inland Veracruz. Often they’re made with assorted fresh vegetables; sometimes little masa dumplings (bolitas) are added in place of a masa thickening.