Author Notes
This recipe was originally born out of the desire to experiment with salsa verde. As is often the happy way of culinary evolution, it became a vehicle for some of my other favorite ingredients along the way: velvety chunks of seasoned avocado, sharp cheddar, sour cream, cilantro, and tortilla chips. This is a great recipe for entertaining — just prep all the stir-ins ahead of time and set it up buffet-style so guests can serve themselves. There is something appealing about controlling your own food destiny that makes the add-ins especially crowd-friendly, and you get to enjoy the big game or party without interruption. —Spring B.
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Ingredients
- Chili
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3
cooked chicken breasts (or the meat from a rotisserie chicken), cut into bite-size chunks
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15 ounces
can pinto beans, drained
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15 ounces
can cannelini beans, drained
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7 ounces
salsa verde (I use Herdez)
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8 ounces
can diced green chiles
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4 cups
quality chicken stock
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2/3 cup
heavy cream
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1
small yellow onion, chopped
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2
cloves garlic, minced
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1 tablespoon
olive oil
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2 teaspoons
ground cumin
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1 teaspoon
ground coriander
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1 teaspoon
dried oregano
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1 teaspoon
chili powder
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1/2 teaspoon
smoked paprika
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1/8-1/4 teaspoons
ground cayenne (to taste)
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1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
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2 teaspoons
kosher or coarse sea salt
- Toppings
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2
ripe avocados
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1/2
fresh lime
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1 teaspoon
olive oil
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1/2 teaspoon
kosher or coarse sea salt
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8 ounces
sour cream
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8 ounces
shredded sharp cheddar cheese
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1/2 bunch
cilantro, coarsely chopped
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few handfuls
tortilla chips (I love sweet potato tortilla chips with this)
Directions
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In large stockpot, saute onion in oil over medium heat 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook one minute more, then add beans, salsa, and green chiles and stir well. Add chicken stock, cream, and all seasonings and bring to simmer. Simmer lightly for 10-15 minutes to allow flavors to come together. Add cooked chicken, stir, and simmer just til heated through. Taste once more for seasoning and add salt and pepper as desired.
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While chili is simmering, remove pit and peel from avocados and roughly chop the flesh. Place in small bowl with the juice of the half a lime, olive oil, and salt. Mix well and set aside, then prepare other toppings as needed. Serve hot bowls of chili with mix-ins as desired.
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Note: this chili finishes with a thin consistency more like chicken soup than a traditional red beef chili. The melted cheese and sour cream provide some additional texture, and that’s plenty for me. However, if you prefer a thicker chili, there’s an easy fix. At the start of the recipe, add an extra can of cannelini beans. Once you’ve added stock, cream, and seasonings, but before adding chicken, use an immersion blender to puree the beans and create a richer consistency. Continue recipe as above.
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