Chicken in Green Pumpkin-Seed Sauce

Name: Chicken in Green Pumpkin-Seed Sauce
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 5 cups water; 1 6 chicken thighs with skin and bones; 1 1/4 large white onion; 1 3 garlic cloves, halved; 1 3 large fresh cilantro sprigs; 1 1 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1 1 2/3 cups shelled pepitas (pumpkin seeds); 1 6 whole black peppercorns; 1 12 ounces tomatillos, husked, rinsed, coarsely chopped; 1 1/4 cup chopped white onion; 1 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro; 1 3 medium serrano chiles, chopped with seeds; 1 2 garlic cloves, chopped; 1 1 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1 6 tablespoons corn oil

From the kitchen of Carly

Chicken thighs braise in a velvety sauce of toasted pumpkin seeds and tart tomatillos, a Mexican classic that's deeply savory and nutty. The pepitas bloom as they cook, building flavor that clings to tender, falling-apart chicken.

Prep: n/a
Cook: n/a
Total: n/a
Servings: 4
Difficulty: medium

Ingredients

4 servings

15 cups water
16 chicken thighs with skin and bones
11/4 large white onion
13 garlic cloves, halved
13 large fresh cilantro sprigs
11 teaspoon fine sea salt
11 2/3 cups shelled pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
16 whole black peppercorns
112 ounces tomatillos, husked, rinsed, coarsely chopped
11/4 cup chopped white onion
11/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
13 medium serrano chiles, chopped with seeds
12 garlic cloves, chopped
11 teaspoon fine sea salt
16 tablespoons corn oil

Instructions

Bring all ingredients to boil in large pot. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Transfer chicken to bowl; cover to keep warm. Reserve chicken broth in pot; spoon off fat from surface.
Heat heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add pepitas; stir frequently until seeds puff and begin to pop, about 15 minutes (do not brown). Transfer to dish; cool. Set aside 2 tablespoons pepitas for garnish. Working in batches, finely grind remaining pepitas with peppercorns in spice mill or coffee grinder.
Puree tomatillos, next 5 ingredients, and 1/2 cup reserved chicken broth in blender until almost smooth. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatillo mixture and simmer until sauce is thick and reduced to 1 cup, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
Heat remaining 4 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add ground pepita mixture. Stir constantly until mixture resembles very coarse paste and begins to color in spots, about 9 minutes. Add tomatillo mixture; stir 1 minute. Add 2 cups reserved chicken broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce is thick, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes longer. Season sauce to taste with salt. Spoon some sauce onto platter. Top with chicken. Spoon remaining sauce over. Garnish with reserved 2 tablespoons pepitas.