Chicken in Green Pumpkin-Seed Sauce

Ingredients

• 6  peppercorns whole black
• 6  chicken thighs with skin and bones
• 3 large cilantro sprigs fresh
• 6 tablespoons corn oil 
• 0.3 cup cilantro leaves fresh chopped
• 2  garlic cloves chopped
• 1.7 cups pepitas shelled (pumpkin seeds)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt fine
• 3 medium serrano chiles with seeds chopped
• 12 ounces tomatillos husked rinsed coarsely chopped
• 5 cups water 
• 0.3 cup onion white chopped

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• pot
• blender

Directions

1. Bring all ingredients to boil in large pot. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.
2. Transfer chicken to bowl; cover to keep warm. Reserve chicken broth in pot; spoon off fat from surface.
3. Heat heavy large skillet over medium-low heat.
4. Add pepitas; stir frequently until seeds puff and begin to pop, about 15 minutes (do not brown).
5. Transfer to dish; cool. Set aside 2 tablespoons pepitas for garnish. Working in batches, finely grind remaining pepitas with peppercorns in spice mill or coffee grinder.
6. Puree tomatillos, next 5 ingredients, and 1/2 cup reserved chicken broth in blender until almost smooth.
7. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat.
8. Add tomatillo mixture and simmer until sauce is thick and reduced to 1 cup, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
9. Heat remaining 4 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium heat.
10. Add ground pepita mixture. Stir constantly until mixture resembles very coarse paste and begins to color in spots, about 9 minutes.
11. Add tomatillo mixture; stir 1 minute.
12. Add 2 cups reserved chicken broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce is thick, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes longer. Season sauce to taste with salt. Spoon some sauce onto platter. Top with chicken. Spoon remaining sauce over.
13. Garnish with reserved 2 tablespoons pepitas.