Chicken Chili Verde (Print Version)

Tender chicken in a tangy, vibrant sauce made from charred tomatillos, peppers, and garlic.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
02 - 1 tsp kosher salt
03 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Green Sauce

04 - 1 1/2 lbs tomatillos, husked and rinsed
05 - 2 poblano peppers
06 - 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded for less heat
07 - 1 large onion, peeled and quartered
08 - 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
09 - 1 bunch fresh cilantro, about 1 cup loosely packed
10 - 1/2 cup chicken broth
11 - 1 tsp ground cumin
12 - 1 tsp dried oregano
13 - 1 tbsp fresh lime juice

→ For Cooking

14 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil

→ Garnishes

15 - Chopped fresh cilantro
16 - Diced avocado
17 - Sliced radishes
18 - Lime wedges

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat broiler to high. Arrange tomatillos, poblano peppers, jalapeños, onion, and unpeeled garlic cloves on a baking sheet. Broil for 8–10 minutes, turning as needed, until vegetables are charred and softened. Let cool slightly, then peel garlic and remove stems and seeds from peppers as desired.
02 - Transfer broiled vegetables, peeled garlic, cilantro, chicken broth, cumin, oregano, and lime juice to a blender. Blend until completely smooth, scraping down sides as needed.
03 - Season chicken thoroughly with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sear until lightly browned, about 3–4 minutes per side. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Pour the blended green sauce into the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally.
05 - Return chicken to the pot, nestling pieces into the sauce. Cover and simmer gently for 45–50 minutes, until chicken is tender and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F.
06 - Remove chicken from pot and shred using two forks. Return shredded chicken to the sauce and stir to combine thoroughly. Simmer uncovered for another 5 minutes to allow sauce to thicken slightly if desired.
07 - Ladle hot chili into bowls and top generously with fresh cilantro, diced avocado, sliced radishes, and lime wedges. Serve immediately while hot.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The sauce gets better overnight, so make a double batch and thank yourself later
  • Charring the vegetables creates complexity you can never achieve with raw ingredients alone
  • It freezes beautifully and tastes like you spent all day cooking
02 -
  • The sauce will taste quite tart before cooking with the chicken, but the meat mellows and balances everything
  • Charred bits on the vegetables are not mistakes, they are essential to the authentic flavor
  • If the sauce seems too thin, simply simmer it longer after shredding the chicken
03 -
  • Broiling the vegetables is faster and easier than roasting them, plus you get better char
  • Use a low sodium chicken broth so you can control the salt level more precisely
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