Braised Chicken with Tomatillos
I’m going to keep this brief. If you knew the day, week, month that I’ve had, you’d understand but it’s mostly because I am finally in my happy place–visiting my parents in Montana. Enough said?
I found this recipe for Braised Chicken Thighs with Tomatillos in an article on “Healthful Recipes” in The Washington Post. Don’t let the “exotic” inclusion of tomatillos scare you off. I found them in Giant, nestled among the other more typical produce. They are an essential ingredient, so go on and pick some up. The recipe calls for boneless chicken thighs with skin (which you discard after cooking). I would say that the skin is essential because it brings a wee bit of fat to the dish and keeps the chicken super moist. I inadvertently bought bone-in thighs (I think that boneless, skin-on may be tough to find) and disregarded the recipe’s detailed instruction on how to debone the thighs myself (way too much effort, dealing with a pretty unappealing product). I just cooked them as is and when it came time to shred the cooked chicken, I did so around the bones. I may have lost a little meat that way but it worked and seemed much easier.
Finally, the recipe’s author claims that the dish tastes better the next day (couldn’t tell you because we had no leftovers). I served the chicken with a little steamed white rice but the recipe has you eating it as is, which is sort of stew-like. Enjoy!
Braised Chicken with Tomatillos
- 8 boneless, skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
- I Tbls avocado oil (you can definitely substitute canola or vegetable oil)
- 1 lg yellow onion, cut into 1/4"-dice
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 tomatillos, husked (just remove outer papery peel), rinsed and cut into quarters
- 1 med jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced (seeded if you'd like less heat)
- 2 c low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 c chipotle-flavored mayonnaise, for serving (optional)
- 2 limes, one zested and juiced (if using mayo), the other cut into wedges for serving
- 1/4 c coarsely chopped cilantro leaves (if using mayo), plus a few leaves for garnish
- 1 avocado, cubed
- Season the chicken thighs with cumin, salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chicken skin-side down. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until browned, then turn them over and cook for 2-3 minutes more (the chicken won't be cooked through).
- Stir in the onion and garlic; cook for about 2 minutes or until softened, then add the tomatillos, jalapeño and broth. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Uncover and remove from the heat.
- Meanwhile, if using, stir together the chipotle mayo, lime zest, half the lime juice and the chopped cilantro in a small bowl until well blended. Set aside for serving.
- Using large forks, shred/break up the chicken in its sauce. Discard the skin.
- Add the remaining lime juice and half of the cubed avocado.
- Stir until the sauce gets a bit creamier.
- Divide chicken and sauce among individual wide, shallow bowls.
- Top each portion with a dollop of chipotle mayo (if using), cilantro leaves, and remaining avocado cubes.
- Serve warm, with lime wedges.