Description
Pipian Verde is a vibrant and flavorful Mexican green sauce made from tomatillos, chili peppers, fresh greens, and a blend of toasted seeds and nuts. Paired with tender simmered chicken drumsticks, this sauce offers a creamy, nutty, and slightly spicy dish perfect for serving over rice with warm tortillas. The sauce is enriched with homemade chicken stock, giving it a deep, savory background flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Sauce
- 10 oz Tomatillos, cooked (can substitute with canned if fresh is unavailable)
- 2 pcs Chili Peppers (Poblano, Anaheim, or Jalapeño) – adjust based on spice preference
- 1 cup Radish Leaves (or substitute with spinach or kale)
- 1 cup Romaine Lettuce Leaves (or any leafy greens)
- 1/2 cup Toasted Pepitas (or sunflower seeds)
- 1/4 cup Toasted Sesame Seeds (or extra pepitas or nuts)
- 1/4 cup Toasted Peanuts (or almonds or cashews)
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds (or ground cumin)
- 1/2 tsp Black Peppercorns (or ground black pepper)
- 4 cloves Garlic (skin on for aroma)
- 1/4 cup Cilantro (or parsley)
- 1 tsp Salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 leaf Bay Leaf (remove before serving)
For the Chicken and Stock
- 4 pcs Chicken Drumsticks (thighs or other meat cuts can be used)
- 1 medium Onion (yellow or white)
- Water to cover chicken in pot (about 6 cups)
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken stock: Place chicken drumsticks, onion, garlic cloves (skin on), bay leaf, cilantro, and salt in a large pot; cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer gently for 1 hour. Once done, remove the chicken and strain the stock to remove solids. Set chicken aside.
- Cook the tomatillos: In a separate pot, boil tomatillos for about 10 minutes until soft. Drain well before blending.
- Blend the sauce: Combine cooked tomatillos, chili peppers, radish leaves, romaine lettuce, toasted pepitas, toasted peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, garlic cloves, and cilantro in a blender. Add 2.5 cups of the reserved chicken stock. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Simmer the sauce: Pour the blended sauce into a pot. Add 1.5 cups of the remaining chicken stock. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat and cook for 40 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent sticking or burning.
- Add chicken to sauce: Gently return the cooked chicken drumsticks to the simmering sauce. Continue cooking for an additional 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the chicken to reheat fully.
- Serve: Spoon the flavorful Pipian Verde sauce with chicken over fluffy Mexican white rice. Accompany the dish with warm corn tortillas for dipping and scooping to enjoy the full traditional experience.
Notes
- Adjust chili pepper types and quantities based on your preferred spice level.
- To toast seeds and nuts, dry roast them in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant and slightly browned.
- Fresh tomatillos give the best flavor, but canned tomatillos can be used in a pinch.
- Use skin-on garlic cloves during stock preparation for enhanced aroma, and then they are blended in raw form for depth.
- The sauce thickens and intensifies in flavor with simmering; stir frequently to avoid burning.
- Alternative greens like spinach or kale work well if radish leaves or romaine are unavailable.
- Serving with Mexican white rice and corn tortillas honors the traditional presentation of Pipian Verde.
