Cilantro Chicken

(c) Robin Grose

Robin: Though cilantro is usually used raw (sprinkled onto or stirred into a salsa or  salad, for example), this chicken recipe brings out the herbs´s “star power” and makes it shine as one of the main ingredients in a hot entree.

With cilantro, there is usually no middle ground—people either love it or hate it. If you enjoy the flavor, you are going to love this versatile Mexican chicken dish, as it requires only a few ingredients, most or all of which you likely have in your kitchen as we speak. It’s easy to make (even for a beginning cook), and you may just end up adding it to your usual rotation of dinner dishes.

Take a tip from my own experience: when you make Cilantro Chicken, cook at least a double batch so that you will end up with “planned leftovers;” they keep well and you can use them a few days later as a filling for enchiladas, empanadas, quesadillas, or some other Mexican dish.

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Cilantro Chicken

 An easy, versatile, and delicious authentic Mexican main dish.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Authentic Mexican

Keyword chicken, cilantro

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 200 kcal

Author Robin Grose / comboplate.net

Ingredients

• ½ of a medium-sized white onion
• 2 cloves fresh garlic
• 1 large bunch fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon good quality pork lard or vegetable oil
• 4 cups cooked and shredded chicken breast
• 3 cups Mexican salsa verde (green cooking sauce ) homemade or from a jar
• ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Chop the cilantro (leaves and tender stems). Set aside a small amount of prepared onion and cilantro for garnishing, if desired.
2. Heat the lard or oil in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and sautee, stirring often, until the onion has softened and become transparent (but not so much that the onion browns).
3. Add the chicken, the salsa verde, the chopped cilantro, and the salt. Bring this to a boil, then turn the heat down and let it simmer for 10 or 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Serve your delicious cilantro chicken with hot corn tortillas and rice, mashed potatoes, or refried beans. Garnish with the reserved onion and cilantro, a generous drizzle of Mexican crema or sour cream, and/or a bit of crumbled white cheese, if you like. 

   If you have any leftovers, they will keep well, tightly covered and refrigerated, for several days. Reheat as-is or take advantage of them as an extra-special filling for empanadas, Mexican tortas, quesadillas, etc.
   

Recipe Notes

Variations on Cilantro Chicken

• If you prefer a smooth texture, puree the cilantro and salsa verde together in a blender before cooking it.
• If you’d rather have chunks instead of strips, dice the cooked chicken breast instead of shredding it.
• In place of shredded or diced chicken breast, use whole chicken pieces (thigh, leg, half breasts, etc.). Fry them in a little oil or lard to brown on all sides, then add the salsa verde and simmer long enough for the chicken to cook through.
• Add color, volume, and nutrition to this dish by adding a cup of frozen  veggies (carrots, corn, etc.) to the salsa verde. Or try adding some diced red pepper when you sautee the onion and garlic.