Chile Verde is on of my favorite stews to prepare. I use either chicken or pork depending on what I have on hand. I love the flavor of the sauce the meat and potatoes are cooked in. It isn't too hot but very flavorful with just a touch of tang.
You can make this stew ahead of time and let it sit in the fridge. The flavor just gets better with age. When you are ready to serve it, just heat it up. This is what I do when I make this sauce for a family get together or for Christmas Eve dinner.
I hope you enjoy this dish as much as my family and I do.
Chicken Chile Verde
Ingredients:
3 pounds boneless boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 1/2- inch cubes
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil
1 large onion coarsely chopped
1 pound tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and cut into quarters
6 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
3 cups (or more) chicken broth
1 1/2 cups packed fresh cilantro leaves - one large bunch
1 bunch of green onions, coarsely chopped (all of the white and 2 inches of the green)
3/4 cup diced roasted green chilies (be sure to peel and seed) if not using canned
2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
Flour tortillas
Directions:
1. Brush the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil and heat over medium heat. Sprinkle the chicken cubes with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken in batches. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add more oil to the skillet if needed.
2. Place the onion in the skillet and saute until soft .
3. Add the tomatillos and garlic to the skillet. Sprinkle the cumin seeds over the mixture. Cook until the tomatillos are tender and browned in spots stirring occasionally. Reduce heat if tomatillos are browning too quickly.
4. Remove the tomatillos from the heat. Cool slightly.
5. Puree the tomatillo mixture in a blender in batches adding chicken broth as needed. Transfer puree tomatillo mixture to a Dutch Oven.
6. Puree the cilantro leaves, green onions, and green chili - again using chicken broth as needed. Transfer puree mixture to the Dutch Oven with the tomatillos.
7. Add the remaining chicken broth, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, Mexican Oregano, black pepper and chicken to the Dutch oven. Stir until well combined.
8. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours stirring occasionally. Remove the lid of the Dutch Oven during the last hour for a thicker sauce.
9. Add the potatoes to the Chili Verde. Simmer covered until the potatoes are tender.
10. Taste and add remaining salt if needed.
11. Serve in bowls accompanied with warm flour tortillas.
Serves 8
Note: If your sauce gets too thick just add chicken broth.
