Chicken Chili Verde Recipe
Photo: Alison Gootee
Serves 4
1 whole chicken (about 4½ pounds), cut into legs, wings, and breasts
1¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided
¾ tsp. ground black pepper, divided
4 cups chicken stock
1 yellow onion, chopped, divided
4 garlic cloves, divided
6 tomatilloes (about 8 ounces), husked
4 jalapeños, seeds removed, coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
6 scallions, green parts chopped and white parts thinly sliced
¼ cup raw shelled pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1 cup fresh cilantro (leaves and stems), loosely packed, divided
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
½ tsp. ground cumin
2 Tbsp. lime juice (from about 2 limes) plus 1 lime, cut into wedges, for serving
1 cup shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce
¼ cup crumbled queso fresco
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and cubed
Active time: 25 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Season chicken pieces with 1 tsp. salt and ½ tsp. pepper. In a large pot, combine chicken, stock, half of the onion, and 2 garlic cloves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, using a spoon to skim fat that rises to the surface. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently until chicken pulls apart easily, about 50 minutes. When cool enough to handle, coarsely shred chicken and discard bones, skin, and cartilage. Strain broth and discard solids. Return broth to pot and simmer until reduced by ⅓, about 10 minutes. Return shredded chicken to broth.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°. Line a large baking sheet with foil; on it, toss tomatilloes, jalapeños, and remaining onion and garlic with oil to coat. Roast until tender, about 20 minutes. Add chopped scallions and pepitas to baking sheet; continue roasting until pepitas are toasted, about 5 minutes more.
Transfer tomatillo mixture to a food processor. Add ¾ cup cilantro, cayenne, cumin, and lime juice, and puree until smooth. Season with remaining ¾ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper.
Stir puree into chicken mixture and simmer 5 minutes. Ladle chili into bowls and garnish with lettuce, queso fresco, avocado, sliced scallions, and remaining cilantro; serve with lime wedges.
Ingredients
Directions
Active time: 25 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Season chicken pieces with 1 tsp. salt and ½ tsp. pepper. In a large pot, combine chicken, stock, half of the onion, and 2 garlic cloves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, using a spoon to skim fat that rises to the surface. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently until chicken pulls apart easily, about 50 minutes. When cool enough to handle, coarsely shred chicken and discard bones, skin, and cartilage. Strain broth and discard solids. Return broth to pot and simmer until reduced by ⅓, about 10 minutes. Return shredded chicken to broth.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°. Line a large baking sheet with foil; on it, toss tomatilloes, jalapeños, and remaining onion and garlic with oil to coat. Roast until tender, about 20 minutes. Add chopped scallions and pepitas to baking sheet; continue roasting until pepitas are toasted, about 5 minutes more.
Transfer tomatillo mixture to a food processor. Add ¾ cup cilantro, cayenne, cumin, and lime juice, and puree until smooth. Season with remaining ¾ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper.
Stir puree into chicken mixture and simmer 5 minutes. Ladle chili into bowls and garnish with lettuce, queso fresco, avocado, sliced scallions, and remaining cilantro; serve with lime wedges.