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You are here: Home / Chicken / Tomatillo Chicken

Tomatillo Chicken

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Pollo Entomatado

Tomatillo chicken, called pollo entomadado, is prepared with skinless chicken thighs and legs, and white potatoes simmered with tangy tomatillos and chipotle chile in adobo sauce. Chicken doesn’t have to be dull. This dish has layers of flavor. The chicken is lightly browned, and the tomatillos sauteed then all the ingredients are simmered together to create a rich sauce. It’s even healthy as an added bonus.

Mexican Tomatillo Chicken Dish

We like to serve it with Mexican Rice or white rice as a side dish but it’s so good it doesn’t need a side. A stack of warm corn tortillas is always welcome too.

Mexican Tomatillo Chipotle Chicken Recipe

How to Make

Ingredients:

Gather all your ingredients.

  • 4 chicken legs
  • 4 chicken thighs
  • 1 1/4 lb. tomatillos or green tomatoes
  • 2 large white potatoes
  • 1/4 large white onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 sprigs cilantro
  • 1/2 tsp. oregano
  • 1 canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1 tsp. salt + to taste
  • 3 tbsp. olive oil

Ingredients to Make Mexican Tomatillo Chicken

First, remove the skin from the chicken.

Chicken Pieces with Skin Removed on Prep TableThen, generously season the chicken with salt and pepper. Set aside while you prep the potato, tomatillo, onion and other ingredients.

Salted Chicken Pieces

Cut the potato into 1/2″ cubes. Cut the tomatillo into 1/2″ pieces. Slice the onion lengthwise into thin strips. Finely chop the cilantro, garlic, and chipotle chile.

Chopped Vegetables on Cutting Board

Preheat a large frying pan to medium-hot then add 3 tbsp. of olive oil. In the hot oil, lightly brown the chicken pieces on both sides.

Skinless Chicken legs and Thighs in Frying Pan

Chicken Legs and Thighs Browning in Frying Pan

Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside while you work with the other ingredients.

Browned Chicken Legs and Thighs Being Removed from Frying Pan

In the same pan that you cooked the chicken, add the onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute until the onion just starts to turn translucent.

Sauteeing Onions Garlic in Frying Pan

Sauteed Onions and Garlic in Frying Pan

Then add the tomatillo and cook for 5 minutes until it has softened and is changing in color from bright green to pale green.

Chopped Tomatillo Cooking in Frying Pan

Add the chopped chipotle and stir. The chipotle adds a little smoky heat. It’s just enough to give the sauce a hint of heat but not make it burn-your-mouth hot.

Chopped Chipotle and Tomatillo in Frying Pan

Simmering Tomatillo Chipotle Sauce

Add the potatoes and cilantro stir well.

Adding Potato and Cilantro to Tomatillos

Add the chicken broth.

Adding Chicken Broth to Tomatillo Chicken Stew

Add the water.

Adding Water to Tomtillo Chicken Stew Cooking in Pan

Add the oregano and salt and stir.

Adding Oregano to Chicken Tomatillo Stew Cooking in Pan

Bring the mixture to a boil.

Simmering Tomatillo Sauce

Add the chicken pieces. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.

Simmering Chicken Tomatillo

The tomatillo sauce reduces and intensifies in flavor.

Chicken Tomatillo in Pan

Serving

Spoon the tomatillo potato mixture on a plate and place 1 thigh and 1 leg on top. Serve with white rice or Mexican rice as a side dish.

Tomatillo Chicken Dish Closeup

This will become one of your favorite chicken dishes. It’s easy to prepare and has depth of flavor.

Mexican Chipotle Tomatillo Chicken Dish

Provecho!

Tomatillo Chicken Dish Closeup
Print

Tomatillo Chicken Recipe

Prep 20 mins

Cook 35 mins

Total 55 mins

Author Andrés Carnalla

Yield 4 servings

Tomatillo chicken, called pollo entomadado, prepared with skinless chicken thighs and legs, and white potatoes simmered with tangy tomatillos and chipotle chile in adobo sauce.

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken legs
  • 4 chicken thighs
  • 1 1/4 lb. tomatillos or green tomatoes
  • 2 large white potatoes
  • 1/4 large white onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 sprigs cilantro
  • 1/2 tsp. oregano
  • 1 canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1 tsp. salt + to taste
  • 3 tbsp. olive oil

Instructions

  1. First, remove the skin from the chicken.
  2. Then, generously season the chicken with salt and pepper. Set aside while you prep the potato, tomatillo, onion and other ingredients.
  3. Remove the papery husk from the tomatillos then rinse under warm water.
  4. Cut the potato into 1/2" cubes. Cut the tomatillo into 1/2" pieces. Slice the onion lengthwise into thin strips. Finely chop the cilantro, garlic, and chipotle chile.
  5. Preheat a large frying pan to medium-hot then add 3 tbsp. of olive oil. In the hot oil, lightly brown the chicken pieces on both sides.
  6. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
  7. In the same pan that you cooked the chicken, add the onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute until the onion just starts to turn translucent.
  8. Then add the tomatillo and cook for 5 minutes until it has softened and is changing in color from bright green to pale green.
  9. Add the chopped chipotle and stir. Add the potatoes and cilantro stir well.
  10. Add the chicken broth, water, oregano, and salt then stir well.
  11. Bring the mixture to a boil then add the chicken pieces. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
  12. To serve, spoon the tomatillo potato mixture on a plate and place 1 thigh and 1 leg on top.

Notes

Substitutions

  • You can leave the skin on the chicken if you prefer. Follow the same steps for browning and cooking.

Storage

  • It will keep well in the refrigerator for 3 days.

Courses Dinner

Cuisine Mexican

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 2 pieces

Amount Per Serving

Calories 367

% Daily Value

Total Fat 12 g

18%

Sodium 662 mg

28%

Total Carbohydrates 26 g

9%

Sugars 6 g

Protein 48 g

96%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

More Mexican Chicken Recipes

  • Chicken Tinga
  • Chicken Fajitas in Adobo
  • Chicken Tacos with Avocado Salsa
  • Chicken Tostadas
  • Chicken Taquitos (Flautas)
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Filed Under: Chicken Tagged With: Chicken, Green Tomatoes, Stew, Tomatillos

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kathleen says

    August 5, 2018 at 9:57 pm

    Hi! This says to add cilantro and oregano, but doesn’t give amounts?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Douglas Cullen says

      August 5, 2018 at 10:02 pm

      Kathleen, it’s 2 sprigs cilantro and 1/2 tsp. Mexicano oregano. Thanks for the heads-up!

      Reply
  2. Linda Henry says

    October 26, 2018 at 12:36 pm

    Made this keto-friendly last night by just omitting the potatoes and using half the amount of tomatillos (suggest reducing liquid since there’s no potatoes to soak it up) – it was a hit! Served with guacamole to tame my overuse of the chipotle in adobo ;) YUM!

    Reply

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Douglas Cullen
I am Douglas C. – Share my love of Mexican  Cuisine that developed over 20+ years of living in Mexico. More…

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