Recipe: Chile Verde Chicken

This warm, spicy dish is filled with flavor and comforting nourishment. Not only are the spices in this dish tasty, but they’re also filled with phytochemicals and antioxidants. It’s a perfectly healthy dish that can be made for dinner or lunch.

Ingredients

For the verde sauce:

3 cups low-sodium, organic chicken broth
16 small tomatillos, husked
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and halved
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 large white onion, chopped
1 bunch cilantro (about 3 ounces)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Juice of 2 limes
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the chicken:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 (5-ounce) boneless, skinless organic chicken breasts
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

To make the verde sauce:

1. Heat the broth in a medium pot over high heat. Once it boils, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the tomatillos, jalapeños and garlic cloves. Cook at a brisk simmer until the vegetables are soft, 5 to 6 minutes.
2. Transfer the contents of the pot to a blender. Start to blend on low speed. While the blender is running, add the onion, cilantro, cumin, lime juice, salt and pepper through the feeder. Continue to blend until smooth, about 2 minutes. Set aside.

To make the chicken:

1. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts generously with salt and black pepper and add them to the hot pan. Cook until the chicken is browned, about 3 minutes per side.
2. Reduce the heat to low, and add the blended verde sauce. Cover the pan, and simmer until the chicken is very tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Using two forks, shred the meat. Return the chicken to the pan, toss with the sauce, and serve immediately.

Note: Any leftover chicken can be refrigerated for up to three days in an air-tight container.

Nutritional information

Makes 4 servings

Nutrition per serving:

Calories 272
Fat 11g
Saturated fat 2g
Cholesterol 73mg
Fiber 3g
Protein 30g
Carbohydrate 12g
Sodium 188mg