Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Chicken Chili Verde


I have been busy lately with more catering jobs, closer together, than I've had in a long time. Which is great! This chili is going to be an hors d'oeuvre filling at one of them. Of course, I made enough so that we could eat it for dinner as well. It requires a bit of effort to prep & saute the ingredients. But, once that's done, it cooks itself. It can be stored in the fridge & reheated, or frozen. So, it's a great recipe to make a double batch of & freeze half for another day.

Begin by chopping 1 1/2 cups of onion & mincing 1 1/2 tablespoons of garlic. Set aside in a bowl. Next, chop 3 poblano peppers & placing them in a separate bowl. If you like spice, leave some of the seeds & ribs in. If not, remove them before chopping.

To that, add 2 cubanelle peppers. Set them aside.

Begin thawing 2 1/2 cups of frozen corn kernels. Into a third bowl, pour 3 cups of low-sodium chicken broth.

Next, you will need 8 tomatillos. Remove the outer husks & coarsely chop them.

Put them in the bowl with the broth.

Along with, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon paprika {I used smoked paprika},

1 cinnamon stick, 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin

& 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano {or 1/2 tablespoon dried).

Now, the mise is done.

Next, you will need 1 1/2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Slice them into small strips. Pour some flour into a shallow plate. Toss in half the chicken. Sprinkle with some kosher salt & pepper & toss around to coat evenly. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the chicken in, tapping off as much of the excess flour as you can. Saute for about 10 minutes, or until the chicken is browned. Transfer to a large, heavy stockpot. Repeat with the second batch of chicken.

When the chicken is done, add another tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet & saute the onions & garlic for about 5 minutes. Then, transfer to the pot with the chicken.

Then, add some more oil & the peppers. Saute for 3-4 minutes & add to the pot. Finally, do the same with the corn. Saute for about 1 minute. {The pan will get fairly brown, as the flour from the chicken cooks. As long as you are not burning it, it's fine! Turn down the heat, if you are} Add in the broth, tomatillos, chili powder, paprika, cinnamon stick, cumin & oregano. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat & simmer for 2 hours.

When done, serve with tortilla chips & a dollop of sour cream.

Chicken Chili Verde

Adapted from Bon Appétit, December 1996
Serves 6

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2" pieces
flour
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cup chopped onions
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 poblano peppers, seeded & chopped
2 cubanelle peppers, sedded & chopped
2 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
8 tomatillos, husked & coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 cinnamon stick

Pour some flour into a shallow dish. Sprinkle half the chicken with salt & pepper. Coat with flour. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Tap any excess flour off the chicken pieces & add to the skillet. Saute for 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Repeat with remaining chicken. Transfer to a large, heavy pot.
Heat another tablespoon of oil in the same skillet. Add the onions & garlic & saute for 5 minutes, or until the onions are tender. Transfer to the pot with the chicken. Add another tablespoon of oil to the skillet & saute the peppers for 4 minutes; transfer to pot. Repeat with the corn, saute for 1 minute and transfer to the pot.
Add the broth, tomatillos, oregano, chili powder, cumin, paprika & cinnamon. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat & simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Serve with tortilla chips & a dollop of sour cream.
Click here for the printable recipe.

5 comments:

Melissa said...

You know, I have that same measuring spoon and that same jar of cumin and have never made them look so beautiful. As always, your photos are gorgeous and the taste of your food comes right through!

katie said...

Thanks Melissa!

Matt said...

I realize this post is a bit old, but recently I've made this recipe 3 or 4 times and it's been excellent every time. I always add more cinnamon. It's a really interesting flavor.

katie said...

@matt - never too old to leave a comment - i still get them regardless. so glad to hear that you've made this chili so many times and enjoy it...i appreciate you letting me know! thanks :)

Anonymous said...

Made this delicious recipe and tweaked it just a bit. I added a jalapeño pepper and some chipotle chili powder for some heat. I also used fresh corn that I fire roasted on top of the stove. The boyfriend suggested adding white beans next time but I think it's great without. Thanks!

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