Tomatillos, also known as the Mexican Husk Tomato, are a delicious alternative to a traditional tomato salsa. These tiny fruits may look like small green tomatoes but they have a refreshingly tart taste that makes for a zesty salsa verde. It is no ordinary tomatillo sauce that bathes the pulled-chicken tamales in this recipe—the tomatillos are first charred on the grill with green peppers and Serrano peppers. The result is a smoky sauce for the chicken and a delicious topping for tamales.
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 4 Sweet Corn Tamales, store bought or homemade
- Tomatillo Chicken (recipe below)
- 1 cup grated queso fresco
- Spicy Pickled Onions, store bought or homemade
For The Tomatillo Chicken and Tamales
- 6 tomatillos, husked, washed
- 1 green pepper
- 2 Serrano peppers
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
- 1 small red onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 lime, juiced
- 2 tablespoons agave syrup
- 2 1/2 cups of cooked shredded chicken
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh black pepper
To Warm Tamales:
- 1 tablespoon of butter
Directions
For The Tomatillo Chicken:
- Preheat the grill to high heat. Place tomatillos, green pepper, and Serrano peppers on grill and char all sides.
- In a medium-size sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add grilled tomatillos, grilled green peppers, grilled Serrano peppers, garlic, and onion. Sauté for 5 minutes.
- Remove pan from heat and place pan ingredients, plus cilantro, lime juice and agave, in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour the tomatillo mixture into a large heated sauté pan. As the tomatillo sauce simmers, add chicken, coriander, salt, and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes over low heat.
Prepare The Tamales:
- Melt butter in a griddle over medium-high heat.
- Unwrap tamales and place them on the griddle for 20 seconds on each side, to warm.
Assemble The Dish:
- Remove Sweet Corn Tamales from heat and center each on a serving plate.
- Sprinkle with crumbled queso fresco and spicy pickled onions. Serve immediately.
What’s one of your favorite ways to cook with tomatillos?