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Chicken chile verde in a bowl with white rice topped with cilantro.
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4.61 from 33 votes

Chicken Chile Verde

Chicken Chile Verde is a flavorful Mexican stew made from boneless skinless chicken thighs cooked in tomatillo and green chile sauce.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Isabel Orozco-Moore

Ingredients

For the chile verde

  • 1 pound tomatillos, husked and rinsed (about 10 med-large tomatillos)
  • 3 jalapeño peppers, stemmed
  • 2 poblano peppers, stemmed
  • 1 serrano pepper, stemmed
  • 2 onions, quartered (white or yellow)
  • 2 cloves garlic

For the chicken

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized chunks
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup water (or more depending on how thin or thick you want the sauce)
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice (about the juice from 1 lime)
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

  • Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the tomatillos, jalapenos, poblanos, and serrano peppers on top. Set the oven rack directly underneath the broiler and turn the broiler on high.
  • Broil for 5 minutes, or until the skin is blackened and blistered. Carefully flip over the tomatillos and peppers and broil for another 5 minutes, or until the skin is blackened and blistered on all sides.
  • Remove from the oven, loosely cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil or plastic wrap to keep in some of the heat to help them steam, and let them sit for 5 minutes.
  • Pull and rub off as much of the loose skin on the peppers as possible. It doesn't have to be perfect. (View some step-by-step photos on how to roast poblano peppers.) At this point, you can also remove the seeds from any of the peppers if you don't want it too spicy.
  • Add the broiled tomatillos, broiled peppers, diced onions and minced garlic into a large blender. Blend until smooth. Set aside until ready to use.
  • Heat olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and season generously with salt.
  • Sear the chicken on all sides, turning occasionally, for about 15-20 minutes or until nicely browned.
  • Pour in the chile verde sauce and water. Mix thoroughly, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon so you get all the brown bits.
  • Cover, lower the heat to simmer, and cook for 30 minutes.
  • Add the lime juice, cilantro and stir to combine. Taste and season with more salt if necessary.

Video

Notes

  • Afraid it may be too spicy? Omit the serrano peppers. If jalapenos are also normally too spicy for you, feel free to use only 4-5 poblanos instead.
  • Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the best flavor. If you're looking for an even leaner meat, you can use chicken breasts instead.
  • No pork or chicken? You can use beef stew meat like chuck shoulder or roast instead.
  • Make this vegetarian! Swap out the meat for cubed tofu or vegetables and beans like mushrooms, chickpeas, and kale!
  • Need a quicker option? To save 20 minutes, substitute the chicken thighs for leftover cooked shredded chicken or a store-bought shredded rotisserie chicken.
  • Instant Pot and slow cooker instructions are in the recipe post above.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 241kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 1003mg | Potassium: 616mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 299IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 2mg