WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Pipian verde, or pumpkin seed sauce, is a traditional Pueblan sauce that can be served over anything from chicken to pork to fish. The sauce is made with tangy fresh tomatillos and nutty toasted pumpkin seeds. But, like many traditional Mexican sauces, it’s one that requires an arsenal of cookware and hours, if not days, to make. We wanted to maintain the classic flavor profile but minimize the work. Our first move was to toast the sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds (we chose pepitas over unhulled pumpkin seeds, which made a smoother sauce) in a skillet, which we then used to build our sauce. Onion, garlic, and thyme gave the sauce an aromatic base, while fresh jalapeño gave it lively spice. We chopped the tomatillos so they would soften nicely. Poaching our chicken right in the sauce kept our recipe streamlined and ensured moist, flavorful chicken. Once the chicken was done, we pureed the sauce in the blender; lime juice, cilantro, and a pinch of sugar added at this point gave the sauce just the right brightness and rounded out the flavors. Serve with rice.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
- ⅓ cup pepitas
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 onion, chopped fine
- Salt and pepper
- 1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh minced thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried
- 6 ounces fresh tomatillos, husks and stems removed, rinsed well and dried, chopped
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- 4 (6-to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Pinch sugar
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Toast pepitas and sesame seeds in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until seeds are golden and fragrant, about 15 minutes; transfer to bowl. Reserve 1 tablespoon toasted seeds separately for garnish.
- Add oil, onion, and ½ teaspoon salt to now-empty skillet and cook over medium-high heat until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in jalapeño, garlic, and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatillos, broth, and toasted seeds, cover, and cook until tomatillos begin to soften, about 10 minutes.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper, then nestle into skillet. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until chicken registers 160 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken to platter, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Carefully transfer mixture left in skillet to blender. Add cilantro, lime juice, and sugar and process until mostly smooth, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon some of sauce over chicken and sprinkle with reserved seeds. Serve with remaining sauce.
