trying a new slow cooker recipe this week: Chicken Chile Verde. it’s on hour 3 as i type this.
we have our own recipe for the tomatillo salsa, but the one included here is fine, too. we broiled 4 lbs of tomatillos, 5 hot jalapeños from the garden, 2 onions, 1.5 small heads of garlic, 2 limes, and 3.5 heads of cilantro (although we didn’t add all of the cilantro; we kept some of it as a slurry and froze it for next time).
i learned a valuable lesson from martha stewart on how to cut a chicken into 6 parts. maybe i won’t “butcher” my roast chicken next time when i want to carve it for serving.
m didn’t like the red peppers. maybe i should omit them next time.
Slow Cooker Chicken Chile Verde – Gluten-free, Paleo-friendly
makes 6-8 servings – this is the slow cooker that I use
Tomatillo Salsa Verde Recipe
makes about 3 cups
1 1/2 lbs fresh tomatillos
6 whole garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 onion, chopped
1 cup fresh cilantro
2 jalapeños, stems removed and deseeded (for extra heat use serranos instead)
juice and zest from 1 lime
1 tablespoon cumin powder
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon sea salt
Preheat your broiler to high.
Remove the papery husks from the tomatillos and rinse them well. Cut the tomatillos in half and place cut side down on a baking sheet. Add the garlic cloves. Place the pan under the broiler for about 5-7 minutes, to lightly blacken the skin on the tomatillos. (You can also roast them in a 450ºF oven for about 10 minutes). Allow to cool for a couple minutes.
Put the tomatillos, garlic, onion, cilantro, jalapeños, lime juice and zest, cumin, honey and salt into a high speed blender or food processor and blend until all ingredients are finely chopped and mixed. Store in refrigerator.
Slow Cooker Chicken Chile Verde – Gluten-free, Paleo-friendly
approx 3 cups salsa verde (see above or use your favorite store bought)
2 cups water, chicken broth or vegetable broth ( I used 1 cup of vegetable broth and 1 cup water)
4-5lb organic pasture-raised whole chicken*
1/2 large onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 dried bay leaf
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
salt and pepper, to taste
extras for serving: limes, fresh cilantro, green onions, sour cream, corn tortillas or tortilla chips, rice, beans hot sauce
Place the chicken on a work surface or cutting board and pat it dry with paper towels. Cut the chicken into 6 parts – 2 legs, 2 breasts and 2 wings, excluding the back**. Cut off and discard as much of the skin as you can and any extra fat.
Add the salsa verde and two cups of liquid (water, broth or combo of the two) to the slow cooker. Place the chicken parts in and add the onion, bell pepper, bay leaf, ground coriander and fresh cilantro. Give it all a stir. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours or until the chicken is cooked (at least 165 degrees in center of meat). Remove the chicken from the crock pot, remove the meat from the bones, shred it with two forks, discard the bones and add the meat back to the crock pot just before serving.
Serve it as-is ladled into a bowl as a stew, topped with fresh cilantro and green onions, a squeeze of lime and maybe a dollop of sour cream and some crispy corn tortillas. It would also be delicious served over rice, or a salad or in lettuce wraps. It’s also a super great filling for tacos, burritos or enchiladas or overtop a big ‘ol plate of nachos!
* you could also choose 2lbs of bone-in or boneless chicken thighs or chicken breasts.
** save the neck and back whenever you cut up a whole chicken. They are great for stock.