Braised Chicken Thighs With Tomatillos

Part stew, part braise, these chicken thighs become fall-apart tender in under an hour without the aid of any fancy appliances. Simmered in a tangy broth made from tomatillos and garlic, the sauce becomes delightfully thick and chicken-y, perfect for garnishing with lime, radishes and plenty of cilantro. It’s terrific as is, served with tortillas for dipping, but a can of rinsed hominy, beans or cooked rice adds some nice heft.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 ½ to 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or legs
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 red or yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 pound tomatillos, husks removed, chopped
• 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced, seeds removed if you like
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 (15-ounce) can hominy, chickpeas or other beans, rinsed and drained (or use 2 cups cooked rice)
• 4 radishes, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus 1 lime, halved, for serving
• 1 ½ cups cilantro, tender leaves and stems
• Corn tortillas, for serving

• Nutritional Information

  • • Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

      754 calories; 40 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 17 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 51 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 43 grams protein; 201 milligrams cholesterol; 1669 milligrams sodium

  Note: The information shown is DiningAndCooking.com’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot.
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add to pot, skin side down and cook, without disturbing, until skin has rendered most of the fat and is a nice golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. (You want it to be very deeply golden brown so that it stays nice and brown as it braises.)
3. Using tongs, flip the chicken and continue to cook until nicely browned on the other side, another 5 or so minutes.
4. Transfer chicken to a plate or cutting board, leaving all the fat and golden bits behind. Add smashed garlic and half of the sliced onion. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomatillos and half of the jalapeño and season with salt and pepper. Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and add chicken back in, skin side up (they will not submerge all the way; that’s fine). Simmer, uncovered, until tomatillos have completely broken down and the sauce has thickened, 25 to 30 minutes.
5. Add hominy and continue to cook until flavors have melded and the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon (it should be looser than tomato sauce, thicker than soup), another 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, combine radish, remaining onion, remaining jalapeño and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
7. Serve each piece of chicken with sauce spooned around. Top with radish mixture, some cilantro and tortillas alongside for sopping up all the goods.