What you'll need:
- 2 Chicken quarters (drumstick and thigh together)
- One 16-oz bag of dry navy beans
- 3 Tbs salt for the beans
- 2 large pots, one to soak the beans and one to boil the chicken
- 1 smaller pot for the potatoes
- A blender, food processor, OR potato masher
- A fine strainer
- 1 avocado for garnish, if desired
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 Tbl ancho chili powder (or just plain chili powder will do)
- 1 Tbl paprika
- 1 small or 1/2 large poblano pepper, diced
- 1/2 sweet yellow onion, chopped
- 5 tomatillos, with the crunchy skin peeled off and washed
- 2 Tbl chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 small or 2 medium size potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 Anaheim green chili peppers, diced
- 4-5 green onions, finely chopped
- (Optional) 1.5 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
- 3 Knorr "caldo de pollo" chicken bullion cubes - from the Mexican food section. If you haven't tried that kind, get it!! It's cheaper and better than other bullion cubes. The powdered Knorr caldo de pollo in a jar will work too.
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. 1/4 tsp makes this about a medium spice level, a good kick but not too much. If you want nose-running, lips-burning chili, do 1/2 tsp cayenne. Don't say I didn't warn you.
Step by step:
- We are using the whole bag of beans! Rinse the beans in a strainer and pick out the funky discolored ones.
- Put the beans in a large pot with plenty of water to cover and add the 3 Tbl salt. This is called brining your beans, and it helps keep them from falling apart and getting mushy while you cook them.
- Bring to a boil, then remove from heat, cover, and let them soak while chicken is cooking.
- Cover raw chicken in 2- 3 quarts of water and boil for 1.5 hours. You don't want the chicken to just be done, you want it to fall apart.
- Remove chicken from the pot, and save the broth! Pull all the meat off, keeping big chunks. Cover the meat and put in the fridge, it will be a while before you need it.
- For the chicken broth, take a measuring cup and skim some of the grease off the top while still hot. (You can also do the chicken a day ahead of time, refrigerate the broth overnight to easily skim all the fat off, and THEN start your beans.)
- Set the broth aside.
- Drain the beans and rinse them well.
- Strain your chicken broth back into the bean pot, add rinsed beans, and simmer gently for another 1.5 hours - uncovered.
- While the beans are cooking, wash and finely chop all your veggies. The tomatillos can be quartered. Peel the potatoes and cut into rough chunks.
- Throw EVERYTHING from the second set of ingredients (all veggies and spices) into the pot with the beans EXCEPT for the potatoes, tomatillos, cheese, and the chicken meat that's still in the fridge.
- Boil the potatoes in the small pot until soft, then drain.
- If you have a blender or food processor: Add the tomatillos and potatoes with a little water in there and puree until smooth. If you have a potato masher: dice the tomatillos into small pieces. Mash the tomatillos and potatoes together. Get it as close to smooth as possible. It will be a nasty looking green mess and you'll have some tomatillo skins in there, but it will come out fine.
- Add this to your pot of beans. Stir it well to incorporate it into the chili. You should notice it getting thicker after adding the puree.
- Cook that all together till the beans are done. Stir occasionally.
- Add the chicken meat, simmer for another 10-15 minutes. Don't stir too much or you'll end up shredding the chicken.
- Add the cheese, if using, and stir gently until it dissolves. Add a little salt to taste. Garnish with sliced avocado and fresh cilantro. You're ready to eat!
Servings: 6-8
