White Bean Chicken Chile Verde

Join us in the kitchen for a White Bean Chicken Chile Verde that is one of my favorites.

A little more involved than most but the result is tender chicken, creamy white beans, and a verde sauce that is balanced and oh so, flavorful. So, grab a spoon and let's dive in...the water, er, chili, is just fine!

White Bean Chicken Chile Verde

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

Serves 8

• 3 lbs chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on (or one whole chicken cut-up)

• 1 tbsp canola oil

• 3 medium jalapeños, minced, seeded and deveined, 

• 3 medium poblanos, chopped, seeded and deveined

• 3 medium Anaheims, chopped, seeded and deveined

• 2 medium onions, chopped

• 6 – 8 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tbsp cumin

• 1½ tsp ground coriander

• 4 cups navy beans, cooked

• 3 cups chicken broth

• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice

• ¼ cup minced cilantro 

• 4 green onions, thinly sliced

• Kosher salt and ground black pepper

1. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large, heavy pan over medium-high heat until very hot.  Add chicken, skin side down and cook without moving for 4 minutes or until the skin is golden brown.  Turn chicken pieces and brown on the other side for 2 – 3 minutes.  Transfer chicken to a plate and discard skin.

2. In a food processor, process poblanos, Anaheims and onions until chunky.  Transfer to a medium bowl.  Keep food processor handy.

3. In the pan used for the chicken, turn heat to medium.  Add 2 of the minced jalapenos (set the rest aside), chile-onion mixture (from food processor), garlic, cumin, coriander and salt.  Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables soften.  Remove pan from the heat.

4. To the food processor, add one cup of the vegetable mixture, one cup of beans, one cup of broth and process until smooth.  Add that mixture, 2 cups of chicken broth and reserved chicken to the pan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer, covered, stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 – 30 minutes.

5. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate.  Stir in the remaining beans and simmer until the beans are heated. Shred/pull chicken meat off the bone into small pieces and stir into pan with lime juice, cilantro, green onions, and rest of jalapeno and return to simmer.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.