Chicken Verde with Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Roasted Zucchini

Yield: 4-6 servings · Active: 30 min · Total: 1 hr 30 min · Year-round with peak summer freshness · Best eaten: Sunday supper or make-ahead weeknight

Complete Menu

Chicken Verde with Creamy Green Sauce
Smoky Roasted Smashed Brussels Sprouts
Char-Roasted Zucchini

Your Game Plan

• About 1 hr 30 min out: Heat the oven to 425°F and get the sauce vegetables roasting. Sear the chicken while they roast.

• About 1 hr out: Blend the sauce and get the chicken braising. Slide the Brussels sprouts into the oven.

• About 30 min out: Smash the Brussels sprouts and keep them warm. Char the zucchini.

• Last 5 minutes: Finish the sauce with cream, slice the avocado, and plate.

Recipe 1 — Chicken Verde with Creamy Green Sauce

Yield: 4-6 servings · Active: 25 min · Total: 1 hr 15 min

Ingredients

• 6-8 pasture-raised bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 lb total)

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1½ tsp Baja Gold sea salt

• 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

• 1 tbsp ground cumin

Creamy green sauce

• 1½ lb tomatillos (about 12-15 medium), husks removed

• 2 poblano peppers

• 1 large jalapeño (seeded for milder heat, or leave seeds for more)

• 1 medium yellow onion, quartered

• 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 cup fresh cilantro, packed

• ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, packed

• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice

• 1 cup grass-fed chicken bone broth

• ½ cup raw cream, plain full-fat yogurt, or full-fat coconut milk (dairy-free)

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• ½ tsp ground coriander

• 1 tsp Baja Gold sea salt, plus a pinch for roasting

• ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper

• Optional: 2 tbsp queso fresco or crumbled sheep's milk feta (stirred into the sauce)

To finish

• Fresh cilantro leaves

• Fresh lime wedges

• Sliced avocado

• Optional: additional crumbled queso fresco or goat chèvre

• Optional: a little extra raw cream for drizzling

• Flaky sea salt

Method

1. Roast the vegetables for the sauce. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a sheet pan with parchment. Arrange the tomatillos, poblanos, jalapeño, onion quarters, and unpeeled garlic cloves on the pan. Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.

2. Roast. Roast 20-25 minutes until the vegetables are deeply charred at the edges and the tomatillos have slumped and started releasing their juices. Let them cool 5 minutes.

3. Peel and prep. Squeeze the roasted garlic out of its skins. Peel the charred skin from the poblanos (some char remaining is honestly beautiful for depth of flavor). Remove the seeds from the poblanos and jalapeño if you want milder heat.

4. Blend the sauce. Transfer the roasted tomatillos (and all their juices), poblanos, jalapeño, onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley, and lime juice to a blender. Blend 30-45 seconds, until mostly smooth with a little texture.

5. Sear the chicken. Pat the chicken thighs dry and season them all over with the salt, pepper, and 1 tbsp cumin. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear skin-side down 5-6 minutes until deeply crispy (work in batches so you don't crowd the pot). Flip and sear another 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

6. Build the braise. Turn the heat to medium. Add the 1 tsp cumin and the coriander to the fat left in the pot and stir for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Pour in the blended green sauce, then add the bone broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.

7. Return the chicken. Nestle the thighs back in, skin-side up, so they're partially submerged and the skin stays above the sauce. Cover partially and simmer gently 25-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 165°F; thighs get even more tender at 175°F).

8. Finish the sauce. Move the chicken to a warm plate. Simmer the sauce uncovered 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened, then take the pot off the heat and whisk in the raw cream (or yogurt) and the optional queso fresco. Stirring it in off the heat keeps yogurt from curdling.

9. Return the chicken. Settle it back into the sauce, skin-side up.

10. Serve. Ladle the chicken and sauce onto warm plates. Garnish with fresh cilantro, sliced avocado, optional crumbled queso fresco or goat chèvre, a drizzle of raw cream if you like, and flaky sea salt. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

A note on tomatillos

Fresh tomatillos are honestly one of the most distinctive Mexican ingredients: small green fruits with papery husks, cousins of the ground cherry. Peak season is summer through autumn. Look for firm, bright green tomatillos with tight husks. If you can't find them, substitute canned tomatillos (glass jar, single-ingredient) as a last resort.

Recipe 2 — Smoky Roasted Smashed Brussels Sprouts

Yield: 4-6 servings · Active: 10 min · Total: 30 min

Ingredients

• 1½ lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (quartered if large)

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 2 tsp smoked paprika (Pimentón de la Vera from Spain for the real smoky depth)

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp Baja Gold sea salt

• ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper

• Pinch of chipotle powder (optional, for more smoke)

• 1 tbsp raw honey (balances the smoke)

• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice

• Zest of ½ lime

• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

• Flaky sea salt

• Optional topping: nutritional yeast (dairy-free), grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, or crumbled goat chèvre

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

2. Toss. In a large bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts with olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, and optional chipotle powder. Hold the garlic for now.

3. Roast. Spread them on the sheet pan cut-side down in a single layer. Roast without disturbing for 12 minutes, then scatter the sliced garlic over the top and roast another 8-13 minutes, until deeply caramelized on the cut side and tender. (Any earlier and the garlic scorches.)

4. Smash. Right on the pan, press about half the sprouts with a potato masher, a fork, or the bottom of a glass so they crack open and flatten, and leave the rest halved. You get crispy smashed bits and tender whole ones in every bite.

5. Finish. Transfer to a warm serving bowl. Drizzle with raw honey and fresh lime juice while still hot. Add lime zest, chopped cilantro, and flaky sea salt, then top with nutritional yeast, Parmigiano, or goat chèvre if you like.

A note on smoked paprika

Pimentón de la Vera (real Spanish smoked paprika from La Vera in Spain) has a much deeper smoky flavor than regular grocery-store smoked paprika. Look for it in three heat levels: dulce (sweet), agridulce (bittersweet), or picante (hot). Easy to find: La Chinata, La Dalia, or Spanish Table. This is honestly one of the best pantry investments for Mexican and Spanish cooking.

Recipe 3 — Char-Roasted Zucchini

Yield: 4-6 servings · Active: 10 min · Total: 25 min

Ingredients

• 3-4 medium zucchini (or 2 zucchini + 1 yellow summer squash for color), cut lengthwise into ½-inch thick planks

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided

• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 1 tsp Baja Gold sea salt

• ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

• Zest of ½ lime

• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice

• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (or fresh basil)

• Flaky sea salt

Method

1. Preheat the cast iron. Heat a large cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat until it just starts to smoke.

2. Toss. Toss the zucchini planks with 2 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin, and red pepper flakes, if using.

3. Char. Lay the planks in the hot pan in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Sear 3-4 minutes per side without moving them until deeply charred and tender-crisp.

4. Toast the garlic. Once the last batch is out, turn the heat to low and add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and the sliced garlic. Stir for 30-60 seconds until just golden, then spoon it over the zucchini.

5. Finish. Arrange the zucchini on a warm platter. Squeeze lime juice over the top and add the lime zest, chopped cilantro, and flaky sea salt.

Prefer the oven? Roast the oiled, seasoned planks on a parchment-lined sheet pan right alongside the Brussels sprouts at 425°F for 18-22 minutes, flipping once, until golden with charred edges. Then toast the garlic in a small skillet and finish as above.

Plating

Ladle the chicken verde into warm shallow bowls or onto plates with the crispy chicken skin exposed. Arrange the smoky smashed Brussels sprouts and char-roasted zucchini alongside. Top with sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, optional crumbled queso fresco or goat chèvre, and flaky sea salt. Serve with lime wedges.

It's a gorgeous plate: pale green creamy sauce, crispy amber chicken skin, deeply charred Brussels sprouts, blistered green zucchini with dark char marks, creamy pale avocado, and bright green cilantro.

Sourcing (essential picks)

• Pasture-raised bone-in skin-on chicken thighs — Vital Farms, Alexandre Family Farm, or ButcherBox

• Fresh tomatillos — organic, peak season summer-autumn. From a farmers' market or Mexican grocer

• Fresh poblanos and jalapeños — organic, firm, vibrant

• Brussels sprouts — organic, tight compact heads. Peak autumn through winter

• Fresh zucchini — firm, unblemished, peak summer

• Fresh cilantro, parsley, lime — organic

• Grass-fed chicken bone broth — Bonafide Provisions, Bare Bones, Kettle & Fire, or homemade

• Raw cream — from a small pasture-raised dairy

• Plain full-fat yogurt (optional) — raw or A2, from a small pasture-raised dairy

• Full-fat coconut milk (dairy-free option) — Native Forest Organic Simple, Chaokoh, or Aroy-D (BPA-free cans)

• Pimentón de la Vera (Spanish smoked paprika) — La Chinata, La Dalia, or Spanish Table

• Whole spices (cumin, coriander, chipotle powder) — organic, non-irradiated, ground fresh

• Queso fresco or goat chèvre (optional) — Cypress Grove Fromage Blanc, Redwood Hill Farm, or specialty Mexican grocer

• Nutritional yeast or Parmigiano-Reggiano DOP (optional, for the Brussels sprouts)

• Ripe avocados — organic Hass

• Raw honey — local, unfiltered

• Single-estate extra virgin olive oil

• Baja Gold sea salt

Storage

• Cooked chicken verde with sauce: Refrigerated up to 4 days. Actually improves after 24 hours. Freezes beautifully up to 3 months (the cream may separate a little when thawed; a quick whisk while reheating brings it back)

• Roasted smashed Brussels sprouts: Refrigerated up to 4 days. Reheat at 400°F for 5 minutes to recrisp

• Char-roasted zucchini: Refrigerated up to 3 days. Best fresh

• Green sauce alone: Refrigerated up to 1 week; freezes up to 3 months

• Fresh avocado (sliced): Best within 15-20 minutes; toss with lime juice to slow browning

Leftover transformations: Shred cold chicken verde over grain-free tacos with extra avocado and cilantro; layer into grain-free wraps with fresh greens; combine with pastured eggs for a green chilaquiles-style breakfast; blend leftover green sauce with a little more bone broth for a rich soup base; toss leftover Brussels sprouts and zucchini with pastured eggs for a hearty breakfast hash.

Support for the Female Infradian Rhythm

Pasture-raised chicken delivers B12, choline, complete protein, iron, and glycine (from skin-on preparation). Tomatillos deliver vitamin C, potassium, and unique flavonoids. Fresh cilantro delivers chlorophyll and traditional heavy-metal-binding support. Poblanos deliver capsaicin (mild), vitamin C, and carotenoids. Brussels sprouts and cabbage-family vegetables deliver concentrated sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol (DIM precursor) supporting estrogen balance through Phase 2 liver detoxification. Zucchini delivers potassium and gentle hydration. Raw cream delivers K2 and CLA. Smoked paprika delivers capsaicin. Ripe avocado delivers exceptional monounsaturated fats (essential for hormone synthesis), potassium, and folate. Fresh lime delivers d-limonene supporting hormone metabolism. Meaningful across all phases; particularly beautiful during ovulation when peak fresh vegetables and full-spectrum antioxidants match peak metabolism.

Nourishment Notes

Pasture-raised chicken thighs — B12, choline, complete protein, iron, glycine.
Tomatillos — vitamin C, potassium, unique flavonoids (myricetin, quercetin), traditional Mexican cellular support.
Poblanos and jalapeños — capsaicin, vitamin C, beta-carotene, traditional anti-inflammatory support.
Fresh cilantro — chlorophyll, aromatic oils, heavy metal binding. Traditional Mexican and Middle Eastern support.
Fresh parsley — vitamin K, chlorophyll, folate, apigenin.
Brussels sprouts — sulforaphane, indole-3-carbinol, vitamin K, vitamin C, folate, fiber. Cruciferous vegetable delivering meaningful estrogen metabolism support.
Zucchini — potassium, vitamin C, gentle hydration.
Grass-fed chicken bone broth — gelatin, glycine, proline, hydroxyproline, trace minerals.
Raw cream — bioavailable calcium, K2, live enzymes (a raw drizzle at the table keeps them intact).
Ripe avocado — monounsaturated fats, potassium, folate, vitamin E, fiber. Essential for hormone synthesis.
Fresh lime — d-limonene, hesperidin, vitamin C.
Smoked paprika (Pimentón de la Vera) — capsaicin, traditional Spanish aromatic depth.
Ground cumin and coriander (toasted fresh) — traditional Middle Eastern-Mexican digestive support.
Fresh garlic — allicin and organosulfur compounds.
Raw honey — trace minerals and antimicrobial enzymes.
Extra virgin olive oil — oleic acid, hydroxytyrosol, polyphenols.
Optional goat chèvre or queso fresco — A2 casein, calcium, K2.
Baja Gold sea salt — over 90 trace minerals.

— Anna aka Food Marshall