Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Green Chicken Chili – Sorry, Red and White, But There’s a New Color in Town

If I had to pick a favorite color chili, it would have to be green. And, if I had to pick a favorite kind of green chili, it would be this chicken and white bean green chili, which, notwithstanding a very minor pumpkin seed issue, really came out amazing.

A true “chili verde” is made by roasting and pureeing fresh tomatillos, which is kind of labor intensive, if you can even find fresh tomatillos, so we’re going with a ready-to-use green salsa from the market. You should be able to chose from several varieties, but just be sure to read the labels carefully. Tomatillos must be the first ingredient, followed by onion, and chilies.

If you never had tomatillo before, I’d describe it as having a less sweet, slightly more acidic, but fruitier, tomato-like flavor. It’s very bright, and refreshing, and makes a chili prepared with it especially excellent for pairing with things like cornbread, or homemade corn tortillas. 

Once you find some tomatillo salsa, there’s not a lot that can go wrong, as we’re simply going to simmer everything until tender, assuming you’re using the recommended thighs. If you decided to use chicken breast, you’ll only need to simmer it until it’s cooked through, otherwise, unlike the thigh, it’ll get dry. No matter what you use, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!


Ingredients for 4 to 6 portions of Green Chicken Chili:
3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, seasoned with salt
1 bottle (24-oz) tomatillo-based salsa verde, about 3 cups
1/2 cup fire-roasted hatch chilies, or other roasted green chili
3 garlic cloves
1 large jalapeno, sliced
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground chipotle
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
2 cans white kidney beans (cannellini beans), drained, rinsed
sour cream and avocado to garnish

36 comments:

Unknown said...

What if you saved a 1/4th cup of the tomatillo salsa before blending with the garlic and cilantro.
Also Save 1/2 of the cilantro, and blended this with the left over salsa.
Add this mixture just before serving to amp up the vibrant green color.

Or would this change the tast of the cooked cilantro.

Unknown said...

What if you saved a 1/4th cup of the tomatillo salsa before blending with the garlic and cilantro.
Also Save 1/2 of the cilantro, and blended this with the left over salsa.
Add this mixture just before serving to amp up the vibrant green color.

Or would this change the tast of the cooked cilantro.

Charlene said...

Tomatillos are massively easier to find than tomatillo salsa where I live, I’m afraid; for those of us nowhere near a Mexican grocery, do you have a recommendation for a good recipe?

Unknown said...

Could you use beef? How much longer would you cook it for? So excited to see a greed chile chili.

Unknown said...

Hi Chef,

Question about the spices. The amounts you added in the video seem way more than the amounts listed on the blog (ex: 1/2tsp of black pepper looks closer to 1tbsp) Can you please clarify?

Thank you!

Alicia said...

Really? No Cayenne? Psssht! I guess since you added jalapenos it's forgivable. Never been a big fan of tomatillo sauce, my mom makes it from scratch, but I like the way you dressed it up with the cilantro and jalapenos so maybe I need to give it another try.

Unknown said...

Your recipe looked so good I had to make it for myself. Added some extra zucchini & squash I had leftover though... so yummy 😋

Unknown said...

Chef John,
I’ve made a bunch of your recipes, with 100% success! Not a single miss! I post my food adventures, and my friends say I should open a diner! I’ve tried a lot of “chef” recipes, and you are the best! Keep going please.
Mike

Ji said...

How many ounces should the cans be for the beans?

JAM said...

Can I use regular chicken instead of green chicken? :)





S/V Blondie-Dog said...

Greetings Chef! Just so ya' knows. I've been a craving me some good ol' tomatillo salsa verde stew for a good whiles now since I no longer be in Texas no mores. In any event I done cooked me up your pork-tomatillo stew and it was downright super awesome! I did done nevertheless cheats a little bits by adding a few spoonfuls of jarred Recaito in lieu of the suggested fresh cilantro. Whats can I say other than it did done happen to be the first ingredient listed on the label. Even my finicky lady-friend thought my pork tomatillo concoction was okie-dokey. And even better yet claimed that it was somewhat better than my English grammar. Anyways I do done thanks you! You're da' best!

Unknown said...

I made this today and it was great! One caution—don't just throw in the amount of salt specified without tasting it first. Everything already has salt in it—the chicken, the salsa, the chiles, the beans. It may end up too salty if you add more. Taste before you salt, and adjust as needed.

Unknown said...

This was so good you guys! Turned out better than expected. Will make again and again.

Alisha McAdams said...

I made this tonight and it was wonderful! Really great recipe!

Anonymous said...

Have you tried the ROASTED variety of that salsa? We can only find it in Kroger stores around us--no one else carries it! It's got a little more heat than just the mild version but the flavor is amazing!

bjatduke said...

Great Cook! Great recipe! Modified it for pressure cooker with dry beans. I didn't tell family that I used thighs (we're a boneless skinless breast family). Had to make my own tortillas -- not too hard. Waiting on you recipe for comparison. Can't wait for leftovers on Saturday. Thanks Chef

dandelion said...

On my list before winter is over. Looking forward to spring and summer. How about a muffuletta demo.

Unknown said...

Hi chef John! Could I brown the chicken and then put it all in the slow cooker?

Chris K. said...

If you lightly toast and grind the pepitas, they lend a really nice boost to the flavor and texture of the chili.

Unknown said...

Great stuff, I loved it!

Unknown said...

Hi chef! Do you plan on doing a method with the nixtralized lime (cal) and dried corn?

Orange said...

This recipe looks so awesome, it made me order Salsa Verde for way too much money from Amazon because you can't get it as easily in Germany. After browsing the recipe a few times I have only one concern: isn't 1 TBSP of Cumin going to be an awful lot? That stuff is potent...

Unknown said...

Thanks for another great recipe! Something popped up so I wasn't able to make it on the stove top. Browned the chicken and put it on low in the slow cooker for about 7 hours. Added the beans for the last hour. So freaking tasty. Will make again for sure. Yum!

Unknown said...

I've been meaning to try a tomatillo-based chili for years. I adore salsa verde, but the markets by me never have enough tomatillos to make it (if they stock them at all). Thanks, Chef John! This is definitely going on my Pepperplate schedule.

Speaking of Pepperplate, I'm going to see what I can do about getting them to allow users to import recipes directly from FoodWishes without having to go through AllRecipes first. It really does make that whole meal planning/shopping list generation thing a lot easier.

Unknown said...

I tried his for a get together with friends. It was great! I used two jalapenos instead of one, and even guests who say they didn't like spicy food liked it.

It was really easy to make because there's little cutting and a lot of blending. May I suggest more recipes which utilize the blender?

Robert said...

Thanks so much for this recipe, Chef John! Absolutely amazing flavor... & quite easy to make, even in my kitchen in Sevilla. I'd like to try adding mushrooms & maybe some green olives next time to see how that works. After all, I'm the rockabilly of my green chili. Gracias!

Unknown said...

Great recipe! Taste came out great I like spicy chili so I added red pepper flakes and it went very well with it. It's a must try recipe

Unknown said...

Great recipe! Taste came out great I like spicy chili so I added red pepper flakes and it went very well with it. It's a must try recipe

Unknown said...

Great recipe! Taste came out great I like spicy chili so I added red pepper flakes and it went very well with it. It's a must try recipe

drawnimo said...

i will be making this next week and with your blessing chef john i think im gonna add bacon.

Unknown said...

Such an easy and delicious recipe. Thank you Chef John for another winner!

Thomas Macfarlane said...

Hi John, shout out to my fellow Giants fan! I'm doing it with veal albóndigas and some real chipotle, we'll see how that flies. I love your videos, they're full of very good and practical ideas, which in my mind sets you apart. Look me up the next time you come to Paris, I'll make sure some fine wine finds you! Bises

Big Al said...

WHOWZERS. This is beyond good. Absolutely a keeper

Thomas Hughes said...


Noooooo ... as his voice fades away ... I know you're a great chef, and when I see you crack a bottle open, I ... I ... . Most folks in the US have some access to Hispanic or Ethnic sections in their stores or even Hispanic stores. IF you can get the "tomate" (Central Mexico and southward) "tomatillo" (Northern Mexico), then by all means, use it. You may boil it first, then blend it for a "thicker" looking/feeling consistency or blend beforehand for a "grainier" cooked feel (you can even eat them in salsas without cooking). So, get real "tomates", and add a few serranos, white onion, garlic, and cilantro (coriander) and enjoy that salsa with whatever you are preparing including your otherwise delicious recipe idea. Submitted with respect and love. - Tom

Philip Ferrato said...

Trader Joe's has an excellent fresh tomatillo salsa and jars of Hatch chilis salsa, both of which I've used in the pork chili verde version of this. Also TJ's has green (unroasted) pumpkin seeds that are great finely ground in a spice/coffee grinder and added to thicken the liquid.

I'm not a fan of beans in meat chili, but this is a fantastic way to do a vegetarian, white bean salsa verde chili. Probably the best way on the planet to use Lima beans. Over rice, with avocado and a spoonful of crema.

Bilal Rafi said...

Such a delicious recipe, I like it very much. Thanks John for sharing this chicken soup recipe. To find out more from chicken soup recipes