Roasted Tomatillo Chicken Tacos with Homemade Salsa Verde

Some recipes disappear from the rotation for no good reason.

This roasted tomatillo salsa was one of mine.

I first made it years ago, back when I was regularly trying new recipes and documenting what came out of my kitchen. Somewhere along the way, though, this one fell out of the rotation. When I came across the old recipe again, I remembered how much I loved roasting whole tomatillos, onion, garlic and serrano until they were blistered and charred, then blending everything into a fresh salsa verde.

So naturally, I had to make it again.

The original version was made outside on the gas grill. This time, I decided to see whether I could get the same smoky, blistered flavor using my cast-iron skillet on the stovetop.

Spoiler: I could.

And because a bowl of salsa isn't dinner, I tossed some shredded chicken into that same skillet, poured in the freshly made salsa and turned an old favorite into roasted tomatillo chicken tacos.

What Are Tomatillos?

If you've never cooked with tomatillos, they look a little like small green tomatoes wrapped in papery husks. Once you peel away the husk, the fruit underneath is bright
green and slightly sticky.

Despite their appearance and their Spanish name, which translates to "little tomato," tomatillos aren't simply unripe tomatoes. They have their own distinctive tart, bright flavor and are a staple in Mexican salsa verde.

For this recipe, roasting them changes everything. The heat softens their sharp acidity and adds a smoky sweetness, especially when you let them develop those dark, blistered spots.

And yes, you want those spots. Don't panic when your tomatillos start looking a little abused. That's where the good stuff happens.

Roasting the Tomatillos

I used my cast-iron skillet because it gets screaming hot and gives the vegetables the char I wanted without having to turn on the oven.

I removed the husks from the tomatillos, rinsed away the sticky residue and dried them before putting them into the hot skillet with wedges of red onion, a serrano pepper and a few cloves of garlic.

Then I left them alone long enough to actually char.

That's important. If you keep moving everything around, you'll soften the vegetables, but you won't get those gorgeous blistered spots.

Turn the tomatillos as each side chars. They'll gradually change from bright green to a softer yellow-green and become noticeably tender. The onions should get some dark edges, the garlic should soften and the serrano should blister.

If you'd rather make these the way I originally did, put everything directly on a hot
outdoor grill instead. Either method works.

Homemade Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Once the vegetables are roasted, the salsa itself takes almost no effort.

Ingredients

• 1 pound tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed
• 1/2 medium red onion, cut into thick wedges
• 1 serrano pepper (or jalapeno)
• 2 to 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• Small handful fresh cilantro
• Salt, to taste
• A little water, only if needed to thin the salsa

Instructions

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high to high heat.

Place the whole tomatillos, onion wedges, serrano and unpeeled garlic cloves in the dry skillet. Cook, turning occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and well blistered on several sides.

Remove the garlic from its peel. For a milder salsa, remove the stem, seeds and membranes from the serrano before blending. If you like the heat, leave them in.

Transfer the roasted tomatillos, onion, serrano and garlic to a blender. Add the cilantro and a generous pinch of salt.

Blend until you reach the consistency you like. I prefer mine with a little texture rather than completely smooth. If it's thicker than you'd like, add a splash of water and blend again.

Taste and adjust the salt.

That's it. Fresh roasted salsa verde.

Turning the Salsa Into Dinner

You could absolutely stop here, grab a bag of tortilla chips and call this a successful afternoon. I wanted dinner out of this. 

When I originally published this recipe I just shredded some rotisserie chicken and just spooned the salsa on top. This time I had cooked shredded chicken on hand, so I heated it in the same cast-iron skillet I'd used for the vegetables. Besides saving me another dirty pan, the chicken picked up some of the charred bits and flavor left behind in the skillet.

Then I poured some of the freshly blended salsa verde over the chicken and stirred everything together until it was hot and coated in the salsa.

There isn't a precise measurement required here. Add enough salsa to make the chicken flavorful and juicy without turning it soupy. Save the rest for spooning over the tacos, eating with chips or another meal.

For the Chicken Tacos

• About 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups roasted tomatillo salsa verde, plus more for serving
• Corn tortillas
• Queso fresco, crumbled
• Fresh cilantro, chopped

Heat the shredded chicken in a skillet over medium heat.

Add the roasted tomatillo salsa a little at a time, stirring until the chicken is well coated and heated through.

Meanwhile, warm the corn tortillas. I put mine directly over the gas burner for a few seconds on each side, just until they're warm, pliable and lightly charred. You can also warm them in a dry skillet.

Fill each tortilla with the salsa verde chicken and top with crumbled queso fresco, additional salsa and plenty of fresh cilantro.

A Few Easy Variations

The salsa is really the star here, so there's plenty of room to make the rest of the meal your own.

You can use rotisserie chicken to make this especially easy, swap in shredded pork or steak, or skip the meat and use black beans. Add avocado, pickled red onions or shredded cabbage if you have them. And if serrano peppers are hotter than you prefer, substitute a jalapeño or use only part of the serrano.

If you like more heat, roast an extra pepper.

An Old Recipe Worth Bringing Back

I love finding an old recipe and realizing it still holds up. This one absolutely does.

The only real change is that now I'm using the salsa as the base for an easy taco dinner instead of thinking of it only as something to serve with chips. The roasted tomatillos are tart and smoky, the queso fresco adds a salty creaminess and the cilantro keeps everything fresh.

It's simple food, but there is a huge difference between opening a jar of salsa verde and making one from vegetables you've blistered yourself.

Although next time, I'm probably taking the tomatillos back outside to the grill.

Some parts of an old recipe don't need improving.