We’ve been going through a bit of a cold snap here in the Mid-Atlantic, and had 2 measurable snow storms about 2 weeks apart. It’s been so cold the snow from the prior storm hadn’t fully even melted yet. I’ve been making a lot of warm and cozy meals and thought I’d share a different kind of chili dish with you all. Of course, if you’d like a more traditional version, I’ve got you covered as well. While this chili too contains cumin, it’s a chili verde, and a bit lighter than your standard beef-based chili. The flavor in this chili is invigorating, which is key on these never-ending dull, winter nights.
Chicken Chili Verde
Olive oil
2 bone-in chicken breasts
2 white onions, rough chopped
3 Anaheim chilis, seeded and rough chopped
3 poblano chilis, seeded and rough chopped
3 jalapeño chilis - 2 seeded and rough chopped (1 seeded and minced for garnish)
6 cloves garlic
1 tbsp cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 qt. chicken stock
1 can each of cannellini and garbanzo beans
Cilantro
2 limes
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Mexican Crema or Sour Cream
Season the chicken with kosher salt and black pepper.
Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, place the chicken in, skin-side down and brown well, about 5 minutes. Flip and brown the bottom side of the chicken for about 2-3 minutes. Remove to plate and reserve.
Meanwhile, add half of your rough-chopped vegetables to a food processor and pulse until minced. Transfer the minced vegetables to a bowl and repeat with the remaining rough chopped vegetables and garlic.
When you remove the chicken from the pot, add in the processed vegetables, along with a pinch of salt and black pepper, the cumin, and coriander. Stir to combine, scraping any chicken fond from the bottom of the pot. Cover the pot, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Drain and rinse the cannellini beans and place in the food processor along with 1 cup of chicken stock. Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans and reserve.
When the vegetables have softened, transfer 2 ladlefuls of the vegetables to the food processor and blend with the beans and stock for about 30 seconds. Transfer back to the pot with the remaining stock, giving everything a stir to combine, and increase the heat to medium-high.
Add the reserved chicken and any accumulated juices. Once the stock comes to a boil, cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Then transfer the chicken to a cutting board, and allow to cool.
Increase the heat to medium and continue cooking the stock, uncovered, to reduce slightly.
When the chicken has cooled a bit, remove the skin and separate the meat from the bones. Break the meat apart into shredded chunks and add them back into the pot, along with drained garbanzo beans and the juice of the limes.
Rip a handful of cilantro leaves from their stems and mince. Add it to the pot along with the minced cilantro. Stir and taste for any seasoning needs.
To serve, ladle chili into bowls and top with a sprinkle of the scallions and a dollop of crema.
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Copyright 2022, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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