Description
Spicy Mexican “Smoked Chicken Chile Verde” blends smoky grilled chicken with tangy tomatillo sauce for an authentic southwestern delight. Green chiles and tender chicken create a hearty, flavorful meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 2 lbs (907 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or bone-in for extra flavor)
Spices and Seasonings:
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
Vegetables and Herbs:
- 1 lb (454 g) tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- ⅔ poblano peppers
- ½ jalapenos (adjust for heat)
- 1 small white onion, quartered
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- ½ cup (120 ml) cilantro, chopped
- Juice of 1 lime
Liquid:
- 1 cup (240 ml) chicken broth
Instructions
- Prepare the smoker environment by setting the temperature to 225F, selecting aromatic woods like hickory or mesquite to infuse a robust, smoky essence into the dish.
- Massage chicken thighs with a harmonious blend of olive oil and spices, allowing the seasonings to penetrate and enhance the meat’s natural flavors for approximately 10 minutes.
- Carefully position seasoned chicken directly on smoker grates, allowing gentle smoke to envelop and transform the meat until it reaches a safe internal temperature of 165F, which typically requires 1.5 to 2 hours.
- Approximately 30 minutes before chicken completion, introduce tomatillos, poblano peppers, jalapeños, onion, and garlic onto the smoker, allowing these vegetables to soften and develop a subtle charred complexity.
- After roasting, carefully remove pepper stems and seeds, then combine tomatillos, roasted peppers, onion, garlic, cilantro, cumin, oregano, lime juice, and salt in a blender, creating a vibrant sauce with depth and brightness.
- Incorporate chicken broth to achieve a silky, pourable consistency, thoroughly blending the sauce until smooth and well-integrated.
- Deconstruct the smoked chicken through shredding or chopping, then gently immerse the meat into the prepared chile verde sauce, simmering for 15-20 minutes to marry the flavors.
- Present the chile verde over fluffy rice, nestled in warm tortillas, or as a standalone dish, garnishing with fresh cilantro sprigs and zesty lime wedges for a final flourish.
Notes
- Choose woods like hickory or oak for a robust, smoky depth that elevates the chicken’s flavor profile without overpowering the delicate verde sauce.
- Test chicken doneness by using a meat thermometer to ensure perfectly cooked, juicy chicken every single time without drying out the meat.
- Adjust chile verde sauce heat level by removing seeds from poblano and jalapeño peppers, creating a milder version for sensitive palates or kids.
- Meal prep friendly recipe: Store shredded smoked chicken in chile verde sauce for up to 4 days, making quick weeknight dinners a breeze and enhancing flavor as it sits.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Smoking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg