Hello!

I'll spare you a long story about this chicken. You should just skip to the recipe and photos below and know you're going to behold some of this green glory sometime soon. If you're one of those people that think cilantro tastes like soap, this is probably not your kinda thing. However, I will say this would probably be good with basil or parsley instead.

But really? Cilantro is delicious.
The dress was gold and white.
There are some things that are just facts.

I've made this chicken a couple times, most recently when Matt's brother was in town for a visit. He kept eating it cold, right out of the fridge, with his bare hands for days to follow; mumbling "best chicken of my life," as he chewed. So, this is for Jimmy.

Don't you want to eat cold chicken with your fingers like Jimmy?
Or maybe these tacos.




You know you do.

Cilantro Lime Braised Chicken
Feeds a crowd
Takes about an hour or so, start to finish

What it's Made of:

• 3 ancho or poblano chile peppers
• 2 jalapeños
• 3 cups loosely packed cilantro
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1/4 tsp celery salt
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/4 cup water
• ~3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 3 green bell peppers, thinly sliced
• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup chicken broth
• Salt, pepper, cumin, smoked paprika

How it's Made:

1. First, roast your ancho and jalapeño peppers on your grill or in the broiler, about ten minutes, until nicely blackened in places and starting to shrivel up. Place in a ziplock bag to steam for another ten minutes, then gently peel off the skin, remove the stem and seeds, and toss into a blender. Add the cilantro, lime juice, celery salt, honey and water to the blender and buzz it up until it's a reasonably thick liquid. 
2. In the meantime, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides and, working in batches, brown the chicken, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from pan and set aside. 
3. Reduce heat to medium and add the bell peppers, onion and garlic to the pan. Sauté for seven or eight minutes, then pour in the broth and the blender contents, along with a palmful or so of each of the seasonings (real precise up in here!) Stir to combine before tucking your chicken back in there.
4. Ensure the chicken is covered with the sauce and reduce heat to a low simmer. Braise chicken for about forty minutes, until it easily shreds apart. Shred the chicken in the sauce or remove to a plate and do so, your choice. 
5. I served in tacos with arugula and crumbled queso fresco, but would be great on sliders, or as a filling for enchiladas or taquitos. As we've established, there's plenty to do with braised meats!