Blond Chicken Chili

Blond Chicken Chili

(Published in Chile Pepper Magazine)

Yield: 8-10 servings * Zest Factor: Mild

For a blonde chili here’s the way to go. Seared chicken and green chiles flavor this dish making it bold, beautiful, and certainly fun (more fun-well, it’s a classic debate…let’s just say this chili is a good time gal)

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 chicken breasts (1 pound), cubed
2 tablespoons plus a dash of cumin, divided
dash of smoked paprika
dash of oregano
dash of garlic powder
dash of chili powder
dash of cayenne powder
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup tomatillo salsa (a green salsa with tomatillos included)
1 ¼ cup chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles
1 green bell pepper, small-dice
2 large jalapeños, minced (seeded and deveined)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon cornmeal
2 (15.5 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained
½ cup minced cilantro

Serving suggestion:
Serve in a baked potatoes with grated cheddar cheese, sour cream, pickled jalapeño slices and minced cilantro. Or in a bread bowl of your favorite spicy bun such as chipotle brioche.

In a large stock pot over medium-high heat, add olive oil and cubed chicken. Season with a dash of cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne powder, salt and pepper. Cook about 6 to 8 minutes until nicely browned. Remove chicken and save for later use.

Add minced onions and garlic cloves and sauté stirring frequently for 6 to 8 minutes being careful not to scorch the garlic. Add your tomatillo salsa, chicken broth, bay leaf, remaining cumin, and green chiles and simmer mixture for 10 minutes. Add your green pepper, minced jalapeño, tomato paste and cornmeal and simmer an additional 30
minutes. After 30 minutes add your chicken and cannellini beans. Simmer another 10 minutes and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add minced cilantro and serve chicken chili in large baked potatoes/bread bowl with grated cheddar, sour cream, jalapeño slices, and minced cilantro.

Tags: chicken chili recipe, Chile Pepper Magazine, chili, chili in a baked potato, chili in bread bowl, chili recipe, hearty meals, recipe for white chili, soup recipes, white bean and chicken chili, white bean chili, winter meals