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Cilantro Chicken
An easy, versatile, and delicious authentic Mexican main dish.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 200 kcal
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
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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.
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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).
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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.
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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.