When I have long days at the hospital, I find it’s most convenient to cook in large batches, freeze half and eat the other half throughout the week. That way when I get home I can get a work out in, spend some time reading or catch up on some TV or news. Then if I find myself on a rotation with a schedule that limits the time I can spend in the kitchen, I can just pull those leftovers out of the freezer and let them thaw for a ready-made meal. I came across this recipe while browsing some recipes on NYT. I made some adaptations to the recipe that I believe add a bit more flavor to the dish. I think it’s great because it could be used in so many different ways: rice bowls, taco salads, burritos or tacos, or even nachos. While I used a 16-ounce jar of Herdez salsa verde, I think in the future I may try to make it again with homemade salsa verde. I would also consider shredding the chicken and then broiling it for a couple minutes to add a bit of crunchiness to the chicken before tossing it back in with the sauce.
Pressure Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken
Pick your favorite salsa verde for this. I used Herdez, but pick your favorite or make your own. Because this is the base of the recipe, it will change depending on what salsa verde you decide to use. If you want it spicier, you can leave the seeds of the jalapeno in, or remove the seeds and rib if you don’t want that extra kick. You can serve this chicken in just about any way. Serve this over some rice, topped with Oaxaca or Cotija cheese and some freshly sliced jalapeno, or simply serve it as part of a taco bar with corn tortillas and all the taco fixings.
- 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups salsa verde
- 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 jalapenos, one diced small, the other halved and thinly sliced
- 4 oz can diced green chiles
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 6 scallions, green and white portions, thinly sliced
- 1 bunch of cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Place the chicken, salsa verde, garlic, diced jalapeno, diced green chiles, garlic powder, onion powder, and ground cumin in the pot of your pressure cooker. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Allow for natural release of pressure for 10 minutes and then manually release the remaining pressure. Remove the chicken and set aside in a separate bowl. Turn your pressure to the reduce function, or up high if there is no reduce function, and reduce for 10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Meanwhile, shred the chicken with two forks. Add the chicken back to the sauce with the remaining sliced jalapeno, scallions, cilantro, and lime juice. Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy.
Slow cooker: If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can use a slow cooker. Follow the above instructions, except set the temperature to low and timer for 5-6 hours or until chicken is tender. To reduce the sauce either set your slow cooker to high and reduce until thickened, or transfer to a saucepan and reduce on the stovetop.