As a teacher with a summer birthday, I have always loved the heat. Beach days with the sun scorching (don’t worry, I cover myself in so much sunscreen that my mom makes fun of me), cooling off with rooftop margaritas that you drink a little too fast, reading racy romance novels on a beach towel in the park (let’s be honest, I do this year round).
But, I’ve since learned that sometimes heat has its limits.
October 2018 was warmer than usual for Boston and I was loving it. Warm October means super cute outfits for apple picking and wineries. Warm October means more BBQs and cutesy porch hangs with friends. But, this Warm October was also The October that I was running my first half marathon.
I’d been an avid runner for a while. When I was young, my mom would bribe me to run with her by promising Starbucks Frappucinos at the end of 3 miles and after my first 5K race in 2003, I was hooked. My hyperactive little brain ate up the natural exercise endorphins faster than I could chug those Caramel Frappes. I went on to run cross country for 6 years, coaching it once I started teaching, but I had never attempted the big 13.1 (and yes, I’m aware it’s not as illustrious as the notorious 26.2, but my frail hips are not 26.2 material).
I made a slightly neurotic training schedule and diligently followed it, even on weekend trips (read: while hungover). I planned the perfect carb heavy, yet healthy diet for the weeks before the race and gave up my one true love (read: wine) for three weeks. I was READY.
And yet, it was 70 degrees and sunny in October.
Maybe this would have been okay if I didn’t have an overzealous and extra personality, but “low key” and “chill” are shockingly not words anyone has ever used to describe me.
I got into my Uber at 6am in my leggings and spicy red running tank ready to take the suburban roads of Massachusetts by storm. My Uber driver started chatting with me (which my inner East Coast persona hated, but my sweet Midwestern exterior felt compelled to continue enthusiastically) and told me that I looked like a runner and he was sure I’d break 2 hours for my time. And I began thinking to myself, yeah, I WOULD break 2 hours! That’s like 9 minute miles, which is doable! My ego and her sidekick, unrealistic expectations, inflated like a balloon and I was off to the races! Literally.
By the time I made it to the start line and saw the crowds of people, my adrenaline was at an all time high. As I crossed the starting block to activate my time chip, I took off with a pace that you could say was…accelerated. And by that, I mean fast. Way too fast.
My determination to make my Uber driver proud and my epic playlist (a truly eclectic mix of Taylor Swift’s reputation album, early 2000s bops, and a LOT of broadway music) kept my feet flying as I passed each mile and saw friends cheering on the sidelines.
Around mile 7 was when I first realized that something felt off. My face felt hot and my legs felt heavy. I’d experienced tiredness over my many years racing, but this felt different. Something felt wrong. So, obviously I stopped to protect my body and make sure that I was okay, right?
NOPE. I just kept going, convinced that I was probably fine and that the answer was to continue to push myself so that I could at least finish the race.
I’m a pusher Cady.
I remember the sun feeling so hot and the road seeming so monotonous and endless as my vision started to blur. In between miles 10 and 11 I felt my body start to sway and my running path start to swerve like a kid that just learned how to ride a bike. You may see where this is going.
Somewhere around mile 11, I passed out. I woke up in the medical tent’s ice bath 30 minutes later, extremely disoriented (sidenote: if that experience is ANYTHING like how green beans feel when they are thrust from the pot into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process, then I apologize to green beans everywhere).
Turns out the lethal combo of the warmer weather and my fervent pace resulted in a heat stroke! Neat!
They say, “if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen”, but here at Kitchen Collateral, we aren’t kicking anyone out of the kitchen. So, if you can’t stand the heat, lower the heat. We can all handle different amounts of spice; some people want to feel like they’re in an inferno and others can barely handle the tiniest bit.
Which brings me to our chicken!
These braised tomatillo chicken thighs are all about heat versatility! Want things so hot that eating it makes you sweat? Use the spiciest salsa you can find! Spice resistant? Mild salsa is your best friend! I personally like to use a medium tomatillo salsa because I’m clearly all about ~balance~. Adapted for ease from Alison Roman’s original recipe, chicken thighs are simmered in a mix of aromatics and tomatillo salsa until tender and gorgeous. Chickpeas also make an appearance for extra protein and creaminess. We cool things down with a dollop of limey yogurt and some pickled onions. If you learned anything from this post, hopefully it's cooling things down = important.
Braised Tomatillo Chicken Thighs
Servings: 4
Total Time: ~1 hour
Active Time: ~20 minutes
Inactive Time: ~40 minutes
Ingredients:
For the chicken
1 tbsp olive oil
2 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Kosher salt
Pepper
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 a red onion, sliced into thin half moons
1 jalapeño
1 15oz jar of tomatillo salsa (as spicy, smokey, or mild as you want!)
1 cup of stock (chicken or veggie)
Juice of 1 lime
For the pickled onions
1/2 a red onion (use the other half!), sliced into thin half moons
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
3/4 tbsp kosher salt
For the yogurt
1/2 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
Juice of 1/2 a lime
2 pinches kosher salt
Splash of olive oil
For serving (totally optional and up to your preferences!)
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped (or more if you love cilantro!)
1 bunch of radishes, thinly sliced
Cooked rice or corn tortillas for sopping up extra liquid
Extra limes, quartered, for serving
Directions:
Prepare the Onions: Place the red onion slices in a small heat safe bowl or mason jar. In a small saucepan, combine vinegar, water, and salt and bring to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling, turn off the heat and pour the hot liquid over the onion slices. Let the slices sit in the liquid at room temperature and pickle while you do everything else. You can also make these ahead and store them in the fridge for a week!
Brown the Chicken Thighs: Pat the chicken thighs dry. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven, or large, deep skillet (like a cast iron). Once the oil is hot, add the chicken skin side down. Let the chicken brown for 7-8 minutes without touching it until it is brown and easily lifts from the pan (chicken skin usually tells you when it’s ready to be flipped). Flip the chicken and let it cook for another 3 minutes on the other side. Remove from the pan to a plate while you cook the veggies.
Cook the Veggies: Turn the heat down to medium. Add the garlic, onion, and jalapeño to cook in the leftover chicken fat and brown bits. Add a pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and beginning to brown, occasionally stirring and scraping up the brown bits from the chicken.
Add the Liquids & Chicken: Add the jar of tomatillo salsa and 1 cup of stock to the pan with the veggies. Season with another few pinches of salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Using tongs, carefully put the chicken thighs back into the pan, skin side up, nestling the sides into the liquid. Simmer the chicken on low heat, uncovered until the chicken is almost cooked through and the tomatillo salsa has thickened, about 25-30 minutes. Carefully stir the sauce around the chicken occasionally so it doesn’t stick.
Add the Chickpeas: Add the drained can of chickpeas to the pan and nestle it into the liquid. Simmer for another 15 minutes until the chickpeas are tender and the chicken is fully cooked through. Squeeze in the juice of 1 lime and sprinkle the chopped cilantro over everything.
Prepare the Yogurt: In a small bowl (or right in the yogurt container), mix the yogurt or sour cream, lime juice, salt, and olive oil. Add more lime juice and salt until you’re obsessed with the taste.
Assemble: When the chicken is ready, serve on rice or with tortillas! Top with the pickled onions, yogurt, thinly sliced radishes, more limes wedges, or anything else that your heart desires!
Notes:
Not all tomatillo salsa are made equal! You may want to try the salsa first before you dump it into the pan to make sure you like it.
Dietary Notes:
Vegetarian and Vegan: I haven't done it, but I’m sure you could skip the chicken cooking part and just double the veggies and triple the chickpeas for a fantastic braised chickpea dish.
Gluten Free: Serve with gluten free tortillas.
Dairy Free: Use dairy free yogurt or sour cream.
Re-heating Instructions:
Store the chicken separately from the yogurt and toppings. Heat the chicken in the microwave for 1-2 minutes and then top it with the goodies!
Side Dish Suggestions:
Esquites would go beautifully.
These green beans would also pair nicely, but please be kind to them.
Palomas, margaritas, or a light orange wine could be fab.
Substitutions:
Cilantro: Hate it? Use parsley!