This savory, slightly tart, and spicy tomatillo sauce is simple and beautifully versatile. Use it to sauce chilaquiles, enchiladas, grilled fish, or otherwise plain old broiled chicken breasts.

  • Yield: About 2 1/2 cups
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 45 mins
  • Active: 15 mins

Ingredients (8)

  • 1 pound (about 10 medium) fresh tomatillos, husks removed and washed
  • 2 large serrano chiles, stemmed
  • 6 sprigs cilantro
  • 1 small white onion, halved and sliced
  • 1 medium garlic clove, coarsely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and drop in the husked tomatillos. Cook, adjusting the heat so the water remains at a steady simmer, until the tomatillos are tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and transfer to the blender along with the chiles, cilantro, onion, and garlic. Blend the ingredients to form a slightly rough-textured purée.
  2. Warm the vegetable oil in a large skillet or nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the purée, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon as it comes to a boil. Let it cook until it thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add the broth and salt and bring the tomatillo purée back to a boil. Lower the heat to maintain a steady simmer and cook until the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes. Taste and season with additional salt if necessary.