Mexican · lunch, dinner
Pollo con Verdolagas (Chicken and Purslane in Green Salsa)
Pollo con verdolagas en chile verde
Video by Chef Rogelio Lara on YouTube, in Spanish · Open on YouTube
- Low carb (6.2 g net carbs) but not keto: 53% of the energy is from fat, and keto meals get about 60% or more
- Gluten-free ingredients
- Dairy-free
- Nut-free
Contains: none of the common allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
30 g protein and 6 g net carbs a serve from skinless chicken simmered in a roasted tomatillo and serrano salsa with a big handful of purslane greens. Rich in selenium and zinc.
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Ingredients 12
Method
The cook speaks Spanish; every step is written here in English. Tap a time to watch that step in the video. For subtitles, tap CC in the video, then Settings › Subtitles › Auto-translate › English.
- Roast the tomatillos, serrano chillies, onion chunk and garlic in a 230°C oven for 15–20 minutes, until well toasted but not falling apart. 0:25
- Pick over the purslane, keeping the leaves and the tender tips; the lower stems are too tough. 1:21
- Skin the chicken legs and thighs, pat them dry and salt them lightly. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a wide pan over high heat and brown the chicken 5 minutes on each side. 2:00
- Pour 2 cups water over the chicken, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. 3:34
- Blend the roasted tomatillos, chillies, onion and garlic with the coriander, cumin, salt and 1 cup water until smooth. 4:11
- Pour the green salsa over the chicken, stir in the purslane, cover and cook 8 minutes more. Taste for salt and serve. 4:52
Tip. Serves about 6 (our estimate for 1.5 kg chicken pieces). The cook's 1 tbsp salt makes it salty (about 1,350 mg sodium a serve): start with half. No purslane? Use spinach. Good with beans or a salad.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 6
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 8%
- Protein 37%
- Fat 55%
Very low carb: under 10% of the energy is from carbs.
One serve has about 59% of a day’s sodium. Use less salt, stock or sauce, or a reduced-salt version, to bring it down.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Omega-3 High51%
0.8 g a serve, mostly from vegetable or olive oil (75%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Selenium High49%
27 µg a serve, mostly from chicken legs and thighs (96%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Vitamin C High44%
39 mg a serve, mostly from serrano chillies (50%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Vitamin E High43%
6.4 mg a serve, mostly from verdolagas (62%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Vitamin B6 High33%
0.6 mg a serve, mostly from chicken legs and thighs (68%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Zinc High29%
3.1 mg a serve, mostly from chicken legs and thighs (90%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Vitamin B12 High27%
0.7 µg a serve, mostly from chicken legs and thighs (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Vitamin K High22%
27 µg a serve, mostly from tomatillos (38%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Magnesium Source17%
73 mg a serve, mostly from chicken legs and thighs (37%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Potassium Source16%
770 mg a serve, mostly from chicken legs and thighs (36%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Iron Source16%
2.8 mg a serve, mostly from chicken legs and thighs (50%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Show the other 4
Vitamin A7%
63 µg a serve, mostly from chicken legs and thighs (35%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Folate6%
25 µg a serve, mostly from chicken legs and thighs (30%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Calcium4%
48 mg a serve, mostly from verdolagas (44%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Vitamin D1%
0.1 µg a serve, mostly from chicken legs and thighs (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by Chef Rogelio Lara; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.