Braised Chicken in Salsa Verde
1 lb tomatillos
1 large onion (not optional)
5- 6 garlic cloves
5-6 mushrooms (optional)
salt
pepper
cilantro (not optional)
apple cider vinegar
worcester sauce
cumin
coriander
This is a classic Q recipe because he took it from a book, changed it, rearranged it, and does it differently every time. So that's what makes it fun for you -- you can add (jalepenos or roasted poblanos anyone?) or take out and you'll basically come up with similar dishes with slightly varied flavors. The basics are the tomatillos and onions and salt.
Husk and rinse the tomatillos. Next you could brown them on a grill, in the oven broiler, or on a hot pan. Or you could just cut them in half and dump them in the food processer raw. Same with the onion. Add minced garlic. Blend up with seasonings: salt, pepper, cumin, coriander. Add finely chopped cilantro stems (they hold up better under long cooking times than the leaves). This is the salsa verde base (and a fine tomatillo salsa to eat on its own) that will provide the liquid for slow cooking the meat. For a little extra flavor, give it a dash of worcester and a splash of apple cider vinegar. From here, you have options:
Good -- dump frozen chicken breasts in the slow cooker along with the salsa and mushrooms. Check back hours later.
Better -- brown chicken and mushrooms before placing in slow cooker with salsa. Check back hours later.
Best -- brown chicken and mushrooms in saute pan. Dump in salsa to cover chicken and put a lid on the pan. Simmer until meat is tender (30-40 min?).
Ok, actually the real best way is probably to use browned cubes of pork shoulder, making this a truly classic chili verde, but chicken is probably a healthier option if you do this kind of thing regularly. Finish with a squeeze of lime and freshly chopped cilantro leaves. Serve with rice and/or soft corn tortillas.
p.s. For an awesome soup, heat the leftovers with chicken broth and white beans. Tasty.
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