Servings: 4 Prep: 30 min Cook: 1 hr Total: 1 hr 30 min
This is one of those awesome recipes that’s easy to freeze and basically a full meal, in itself. This recipe makes 4 BIG bowls!
If I had a Crockpot, or knew how to use one, I suspect this is the kind of recipe that would be a prime candidate for that method of slow cook. I don’t have one and have never used one, so … I don’t know. Hopefully someone will try it and post the changes in the comments section!
This is a spicy, tangy, chicken chili, with big chunks of shredded chicken. I usually throw all the stuff into a pot and let it gurgle and simmer away for about 60 minutes. Then, I chill it, package it and freeze most of it, for another day, when I’m feeling lazy. I always garnish with some grated cheese, sour cream and salsa. Yum!
Spicy Green Chicken Chili
Print RateIngredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion peeled and diced
- 2 each garlic clove minced
- 1 1/2 lb whole boneless/skinless chicken breasts (or equivalent thigh meat)
- 2 each poblano chillies seeds removed and diced
- 2 each jalepeno chillies seeds removed and diced
- 1 lb tomatillos leafy wrapper removed, washed and diced
- 2 each fresh limes
- 2 tsp cumin seed ground
- 1 tsp coriander seed ground
- 1/2 tsp guar gum (optional)
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum (optional)
- 1 bunch cilantro washed and chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place a medium soup pot on the stove, over medium heat.
- Add the olive oil.
- Add the onions and garlic to the pot. Season with a small amount of salt and pepper. Sweat veggies, until translucent.
- Lay chicken on top of onions, in the pot. Season with a little salt and pepper.
- Cover chicken with poblanos, jalepenos and tomatillos. Season with a little salt and pepper.
- Use a zester or the fine side of a cheese grater to zest the outside of the 2 limes (just remove the green part, not the white part). Place the grated lime skin (zest) into the pot. Juice the limes, removing the seeds, and add the juice to the pot.
- Cover the pot, lower the heat to "simmer" and allow the contents of the pot mingle, settle and simmer away for 30 minutes.
- While this mixture simmers, in a small dry bowl, mix together the cumin, coriander, guar and xanthan gums. Add a small amount of salt and pepper. Blend all ingredients evenly (if you use the guar and xanthan gums, these will thicken the chili and give it a "heartier" feel. Mixing them into the spices will help them more evenly distribute in the chili, without causing any clumping).
- When the 30 minutes have passed, remove the lid and stir all the contents of the pot, making sure to turn the breasts over. Evenly dust the top of the pot with the spice blend, then mix it into the chili mixture.
- Place the lid back onto the pot and allow to simmer for a further 30 minutes, checking the pot from time to time, to make sure it doesn't burn. If the mixture becomes too thick, you can add a little water or chicken stock to adjust the consistency.
- After 60 total minutes, use two forks to break the chicken breasts into large chunks, within the pot.
- Stir in the chopped cilantro and make any final seasoning adjustments you may see fit.
- Enjoy!
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Making this tomorrow. Sounds really good.
I like it lots! I haven’t made it in a while, though … not sure why. I usually do a similar method, but … red and … with pork. Very close in taste and time, but … I favor the red for some reason. Let me know how it turns out!
Turned out really good. Can’t wait for the leftovers tomorrow night. 😀
Once the tomatoes and tomatillos are ready in the garden I am going to try this one out. I think for my family I will sub out the jalapenos and use anaheims LOL
Oh baby, this sounds delicious!!!! Gonna give it a try, I’ve been seeing tomatillos at the grocery lately, never buy them, but love store bought tomatillo salsa.
We’re pretty much snowed in today & coming up with food based on what we have in the house. I’ve got my own version of this spicy chicken chili simmering on the stove. Smells so good.
I made this in the crockpot today! I used chicken tenders instead of the whole breasts, simply because I had them. I couldn’t find the tomatillos at the local grocery so I used 3 cups of my favorite salsa verde and added 1/2 cup chicken broth. In 6 hours it was perfect. This recipe is a keeper!
Sandra Lee, that’s essentially the idea. Take green salsa and cook chicken in it. My recipe just shows the various ingredients that one might put into a green salsa, but picking a favorite and using that is definitely a way to go. I do it myself! I’m glad you enjoy it! 🙂
Hey DJ,
Love all your recipes but I’m struggling with tomatillos. Would regular tomatoes be a good substitute or what would you suggest?
Hi Eoghan, tomatoes will work, but they have a bit more water and a tarter quality to them. Ultimately, just let the water cook out and it should be fine. If you’d like to squeeze a bit extra lime juice into it, that should bring back some of the tart quality. Obviously, it won’t be green, but the taste will still be quite good! I hope this helps! 🙂
Question, what is the reason behind using BOTH gums? Could I use only one? Xanthan gum is what I have? Sounds wonderful and can’t wait to try!
Hi Diane, ultimately, they’re optional. I just find that the two work better together than each individually. They’re both thickeners, but both have slightly different behaviors. When combined, they tend to bring out the best qualities of the other and decrease the more negative aspects. That said … one will work, or … none at all! In this instance, I’m more a "none at all" kind of person, in that I’m fine with the natural texture and mouth-feel of this, but many folks really feel these kinds of stews need to be thick and … no other texture will do. The gums are for them. It’ll have great flavor and a nice thick mouthfeel, without taking on the slimy texture that too much xanthan can contribute. I hope this helps! 🙂
Thanks for the recipe – looks terrific! My husband & I live on a boat in Grenada and are trying to convert the recipe to what we can find down here. Can we substitute the gums with cornstarch as a thickener? No tomatillos…also thinking of using regular tomatoes. No luck finding poblanos…can use local hot peppers, or cans of green chiles. If you’ve tried any of these substitutions, pls let us know.
Stacey, you can really just skip the starch. It’s far from required. It’s just there for a little extra thickness. It doesn’t impact the taste, at all. That said … a small amount of corn starch will tighten it up … and I won’t tell anyone! 😉 Yes, tomatoes will work, as will something like a canned/jarred green salsa. Really any of these will work. Just make sure it cooks down, doesn’t scorch and tastes nice. Adjust seasoning with some salt and lime juice. Should be quite tasty! 🙂
—Reply posted by Sue on 6/18/2015
to thicken chilis, I usually use 1/2 can of white(navy or your choice)beans…I use a stick blender, put beans in separate bowl, with a scoop of the chili broth & pur?e…it adds a few extra carbs, but beans have plenty of fiber
I’ve never really believed the carb count when using only the juices out of limes and lemons. I mean it’s lot like we’re eating the entire lime or lemon. How Can that Carb Count be accurate?
—Reply posted by DJ on 1/12/2015
Hi Amanda, I actually just looked this up. You are correct in your belief. According to the standard conversions usually given, a lime will give 2 tbsp. of juice. This amounts to about 2 net carbs per lime. Interestingly, the USDA also offers an ingredient called a “lime yield” … which may or may not include the actual flesh on the inside of the lime. That number is given at 3 net carbs per lime. So … this suggests that the total for limes on my recipe should be 4 or 6, depending on the true definition of “lime yield”. Hopefully you find this to be GOOD news! 🙂
Hi DJ~ I am wondering how spicy this really comes out. I have a child 8 years old who likes food with flavor, but doesn’t do hot. Could you give me a better idea? Thank you, Kim
—Reply posted by DJ on 1/12/2015
Kim, I really don’t know. I don’t consider it to be THAT spicy, however … some jalepenos are hotter than others. The poblanos are not hot, at all. If you’re worried about it, perhaps you could start it, but leave out the jalepenos. Then, split it into two halves and put 1 jalepeno in the half you plan to eat … and let it gurgle along for a while, and then taste it. If it’s not too spicy, just marry the two halves and enjoy. You’ll know that next time … you can add TWO jalepenos (and just hope you don’t get two really spicy ones!) … finally … removing the seeds and ribs from the inside of the jalepeno will help get rid of some of the heat. Good luck!
I pinned this a few weeks ago and figure it’s a good day to make it! I haven’t been able to find guar gum but do have xanthem on hand. I also have arrow root powder. Would you combine these two thickeners? Use one over the other? Your suggestion would be appreciated!
—Reply posted by DJ on 2/5/2015
My honest opinion is, the thickeners are unnecessary. It’ll create a thinner chili and the “sauce” won’t cling as well to the bits of chicken, but … the taste will still be quite nice. Top it up with some cheese and sour cream and the missing viscosity will be an afterthought. That said, xanthan is far lower in carbs than arrowroot, but arrowroot gives a nicer consistency. I’d say … use both to drop the carbs of the thickening combo, but get a nicer consistency from the arrowroot. Use half as much xanthan and double the same amount of arrowroot. I hope this helps! 🙂