This oregano chicken recipe is loaded with delicious spices and tomatillos! Simmered in a savory, green sauce, this Latin dish is a great weeknight meal using fresh ingredients for amazing flavor!

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Savory and full of rich spices, this oregano chicken recipe is so simple to make using fresh, economical ingredients!

With a mild spice level, this Latin dish can be enjoyed by anyone wanting to spice up their weeknight menu!

Plus, I’ll share my top tips below on preparing the jalapenos and tomatillos helpful for any cooking level! Definitely easy to follow!

This post will go over everything you need to know to create this oregano chicken recipe.

Recipe difficulty: Beginner level…simply prep and throw in the pot!
Easiest oregano chicken breast recipe using fresh tomatillos and jalapenos. Chicken is juicy and flavorful after simmering in an herbed green sauce that takes no time to prepare! As an added benefit, the oregano in chicken water creates a broth great spooned over rice or a burrito bowl!

Sam’s Pro Tips for this Oregano Chicken Recipe

Don’t Overcook the Chicken!

Discussed more in my Tangy Filipino Chicken Afritada You Need to Try | Chicken Stew and 25-Minute Simple Chicken Adobo Recipe, cook the chicken only until the outside is cooked!

The reason for this is that once the tomatillos and other liquids are added in, the chicken will continue to cook in the sauce. No one likes overcooked chicken!

Since we are using chicken breast in this oregano chicken recipe, chicken breast cooks a lot faster than chicken thighs or drumsticks.

Tomatillos Release Water when Cooked

When you’re adding the ingredients to the pot for this jalapeno chicken recipe, you may be thinking is this really all the liquid I need? Yes!

Tomatillos release their juice when cooked, the measurements provided for the chicken broth is all you need to get the perfect consistency for the sauce.

If you would like more sauce, you can add more chicken broth to preference as the sauce simmers.

Cooking with Jalapeno

We love spice in our food, as you’ll find a ton of our recipes using habanero or another type of pepper!

Like our Habanero Herbed Spicy Pork Chops Recipe for an Easy Dinner, it’s advised to try to leave the stem on when cutting the jalapeno and to cut around the seed pit.

For example, to avoid crying with an onion, it’s recommended to leave the root on when cutting. It’s the same concept with the habaneros and the tomatillos!

Key Ingredients – Oregano Chicken Recipe

Below are some key ingredients for this recipe:

Chicken breast: Literally, all I use is 2 pounds of chicken breast! Nothing fancy or gourmet so any type will work!

Oregano: Obviously one of the main ingredients in any oregano recipes chicken! Adding the oregano to the sauce seasons the sauce to perfection and pairs perfectly with the tomatillos!

Tomatillos: This is what helps create your spiced oregano chicken recipe in combination with the jalapenos. In the stores, I have seen them called green tomatoes. Don’t get confused, tomatillos don’t taste like a tomato!

Jalapenos: I only used 2 jalapenos in this oregano chicken breast. That was plenty to add some spice! Remember if you include the seeds, this dish can be even spicier!

Onion and garlic: No need to create an oregano chicken marinade to further flavor the chicken as these fresh ingredients are more than enough to create that amazing flavor! I always like to keep onion and garlic on hand!

Chicken broth: The base of the oregano chicken sauce! By using the chicken broth, the sauce will be more flavorful compared to just using water.

Brown sugar: To balance out the spiciness to the oregano in chicken water, a touch of brown sugar is added for a rich, earthy flavor.

Cilantro: Herbs are delicate! After the oregano chicken has simmered in the sauce, the chopped cilantro will top this savory dish. I sometimes like to have extra chopped cilantro on the side if I eat this in a rice bowl!

More Variations to this Oregano Chicken Recipe

There are a few ways you can variate this oregano chicken recipe. Here’s how:

Make oregano chicken thighs! Instead of using chicken breast, make this an oregano chicken thighs recipe! Chicken thighs can be more flavorful to chicken breast and will simmer beautifully in the sauce. Plan to adjust the cooking time accordingly as chicken thighs will need to cook longer compared to chicken breast.

Any other spiced dishes? Yes! Some of our favorite Mexican dishes includes our 5-Step Easy Chile Relleno Recipe You’ll Love or 15-Minute Quick Carnitas Recipe Perfect for Tacos making use of chile poblanos and habaneros! Each of these recipes are great weeknight options and can be adjusted to spice tolerance.

What can I pair with this dish? So many options! You can serve this dish with our Best Mexican Style Rice Recipe from Grandma’s Kitchen or use this oregano chicken recipe in a burrito bowl. Serve with the rice, beans, and chopped cilantro. You can even top with more salsa like our Red Salsa for Tacos in Only 3 Easy Steps! For a healthier alternative, substitute the rice with our 7-Minute Cilantro Cauliflower Lime Rice to add to the dinner table!

Looking for some awesome printables that are totally FREE? Our favorite! Check out our FREE LIBRARY for our Grocery Checklist or Top 5 Ingredients you Need for Filipino Cooking printables to help you on your cooking journey!

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Ingredients

2 pounds chicken breast diced
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 pound tomatillos cut in wedges
2 jalapenos diced
½ onion diced
4 garlic cloves peeled and minced
⅓ cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons brown sugar
⅓ cup cilantro chopped
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

Instructions

In a large sauté pan, add olive oil over medium heat. Once heated, add the diced chicken to the pan. Cook only until the outside is not pink for 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add everything else to the pan except the chopped cilantro. Cover the pan and simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes.
Remove the cover and toss with the chopped cilantro. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Enjoy!

Notes

Tomatillos release their juice when cooked, the measurements provided for the chicken broth is all you need to get the perfect consistency for the sauce. If you would like more sauce, you can add more chicken broth as it simmers.
Refer to Sam’s Pro Tips for this Oregano Chicken Recipe for further detail.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does oregano go well with chicken?

Yes! Oregano pairs will with chicken and gives a rich, herbed flavor to the meat. In this oregano chicken recipe, the chicken will simmer in the green sauce.

Can you fry chicken with oregano?

You can also fry chicken with oregano if mixed in the rub before frying. However, our oregano chicken recipe simmers in a sauce.

How long does oregano chicken last in the refrigerator?

For optimal freshness, consume this oregano chicken recipe between 3-4 days.

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Spiced Oregano Chicken Recipe with Tomatillos