10 Ways to Use Salsa Verde
My tomatillo salsa verde is tangy, bright and just spicy enough, and one batch makes about 2 1/4 cups (550 g). It's the kind of sauce that turns leftover chicken, a couple of eggs or a bag of tortilla chips into a real meal.
When you're new to cooking, a jar of homemade salsa in the fridge is a head start on dinner. Here are ten ways to use it, from breakfast to party food, all easy enough for a beginner. I was one not long ago, so trust me on that.
Enchiladas verdes
The most famous use of all: enchiladas verdes are corn tortillas rolled around shredded chicken and baked under salsa verde, with crema and queso fresco. About 2 cups (480 ml) of salsa covers a dish of 12. In the Thermomix® TM7™ version, the salsa cooks in the mixing bowl while the chicken steams in the Varoma above it. You can roll the enchiladas a few hours ahead; pour the salsa over just before baking so the tortillas don't get too soft.
Chilaquiles verdes for breakfast
Simmer 2 cups (480 ml) of salsa verde in a large skillet on the stove for 3 minutes, toss in 7 oz (200 g) of thick tortilla chips and top with crema, queso fresco and a fried egg. It's the green cousin of my chilaquiles rojos. Eat them right away, while the chips still have a little crunch.
Huevos divorciados
Make huevos rancheros, but top one egg with red salsa and the other with 1/4 cup (60 ml) of salsa verde, with the refried beans down the middle. Warm the salsa in a small pan first, so the eggs don't cool down on the plate.
Carnitas tacos
Carnitas and salsa verde are a classic pair: crispy pork on warm corn tortillas with onion, cilantro and about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of salsa per taco. Warm the tortillas on a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side, so they're soft and don't crack when you fold them.
Chicken simmered in salsa verde
For an easy weeknight dinner, put 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) of boneless chicken thighs in a skillet, pour 2 cups (480 ml) of salsa verde over them, cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, until they reach 74°C (165°F) inside. Shred the chicken with two forks and serve it over rice, or use it as the filling for tamales verdes. A thermometer in the thickest piece is the easiest way to know it's done.
Green rice on the side
In a saucepan, toast 1 cup (200 g) of long-grain rice in 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of oil for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup (240 ml) of salsa verde and 1 cup (240 ml) of chicken broth, bring it to a boil, cover and cook on low for 18 to 20 minutes. Let it rest, still covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff it with a fork.
On sopes and tostadas
Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) of salsa verde over sopes with beans and chicken, or over any tostada. Add the salsa right before serving, so the masa stays crisp.
Leftover chicken quesadillas
Shred 2 cups (about 280 g) of leftover roast chicken, mix it with 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of salsa verde and use it to fill chicken quesadillas with plenty of cheese. Serve more salsa on the side. Don't overfill the tortillas, or the filling slides out before the cheese melts.
Creamy avocado salsa for a party
Blend 1 cup (240 ml) of cooled salsa verde with 1 ripe avocado until creamy; in the Thermomix® TM7™ that's 15 sec/speed 6. Serve it with tortilla chips, like the creamy salsa at a taquería. Make it the day you serve it, because the avocado turns brown.
A spoonful in chicken soup
Stir 1/4 cup (60 ml) of salsa verde into a pot of chicken soup for 4 just before serving, for a tangy, gently spicy bowl. Top it with avocado and crushed tortilla chips. Taste before you add more, since every batch of tomatillos is a little different.
Start with chilaquiles on a slow morning, then work your way through the list. Cook along with me: if I learned to cook, you can too.
