T is for: Tomatillo Avocado Salsa with Homemade Baked Tortilla Chips

I’m definitely a chips and salsa girl. (Who isn’t?)

But seriously, when I go to a Mexican restaurant, I can’t stop my hand from constantly reaching for the chip basket and dunking it in whatever salsa is on the table. And if there is queso or guacamole involved? Forgetaboutit. I end up eating so much that by the time my actual entree comes out, I’m already full.

One of my favorite types of salsa is the spicy green kind. It’s made from tomatillos with some jalapeno for a little kick. I’ve never actually worked with tomatillos before this post, and I can’t believe I hadn’t. They are way easier than they look and they are delicious.

And since I also love guacamole, I decided to combine some avocados with my spicy tomatillo salsa for a creamy take on a Mexican classic.

First, let’s talk tomatillos. They sort of look like green tomatoes, but they are actually a member of the nightside family, related to gooseberries. (I don’t actually know what a gooseberry is, but for those of you who do, they are related). Look for firm, bright green fruits. They will have a papery husk on them. Simply remove it and then wash the tomatillos to remove the sticky residue.

You could totally make this with raw tomatillos, but I love the flavor achieved when roasting vegetables in the oven. I combined the tomatillos with some yellow onion, a jalapeno, 3 green onions, a random green tomato that was in my fridge, and a few garlic cloves. I drizzled with some habanero olive oil and popped it under the broiler until everything started to blister, turning as needed. I love when they get kind of charred, but if you don’t like that, you can pull them out earlier. To remove the skin from the jalapeno, throw it in a bag for about 10 minutes and then peel it off. (Method described in more detail here).

From here, just pop everything in the food processor, along with some cilantro and lime juice and pulse until combined and smooth. At this point, I thought this salsa was fabulous as-is. In fact, this would make a great sauce for Enchiladas Verdes in place of chiles. But I thought it would be delicious to also add a couple of avocados to the mix…and guess what? I was right! A little spice, a little tang, and some creamy avocado to bring it all home. Season to taste with salt and refrigerate until ready to serve.

When I brought this to the dinner party I was attending, I also busted out some homemade tortilla chips. My friends mockingly said “Of course you made your own tortilla chips.” Valid joke, HOWEVER…if you knew how ridiculously simple it was to make your own, you would probably stop eating store-bought ones. All you do is brush them with oil, cut them in wedges, sprinkle with salt and bake in the oven until crispy. See? So simple. And so delicious.

Serve with salsa and get ready for the fiesta in your mouth! Arriba!