Gallina en Verde

Gallina en Verde

(Chicken in Green Sauce)

Adapted from Mexico: The Cookbook by Margarita Carrillo Arronte 

Chicken in Green Sauce

Ingredients:
6 chicken thighs, skin on 
juice of 2 oranges
6-8 tomatillos
½ head garlic, dry-roasted and finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
3 red bell peppers, finely chopped
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
4 tablespoons (12 oz/40 g) butter or oil
2 whole allspice berries
1 clove 6 black peppercorns 
1 bay leaf 
1 teaspoon sea salt plus more to taste 
cooked white Rice, to serve 

Serves 6 

Preparation: Stir the salt into 1 cup (9 fl oz/250 ml) water in a bowl. Put the chicken into a saucepan, pour the salted water over it, and let stand for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, grind together the allspice berries, clove, peppercorns, and bay leaf with a mortar and pestle or in a spice grinder. Stir half of this spice mixture into the orange juice in a bowl then pour it into the water with the chicken. 

Set the pan over low heat and cook the chicken for 1-2 hours, until it is cooked through and tender, and the cooking liquid has reduced. Meanwhile, put the tomatillos in another saucepan, add a pinch of salt, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and drain. 

Peel the tomatillos, then put them in a food processor or blender and process. Strain into a bowl and stir in the remaining ground spice mixture. 

Remove the pan of chicken from the heat, lift out the chicken, and let cool. When cold, remove the meat from the bones and put it onto a serving platter. 

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan. Add the garlic, onion, and bell peppers and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes. Add the tomatillo mixture, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon butter. Taste, adjust the seasoning, if necessary, and remove the pan from the heat. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately with white rice. 

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