If you are from Colorado, like Tuck & Tate, you love yourself some green chili. It’s a Colorado staple and most restaurants have their own variation on their menu. Over the years we have taken everything we like about different versions and created this recipe. We use chicken for a lighter meal (ie: more room for cheese on top), use tons of tomatillos for an acidic punch, and a bunch of different peppers to spice things up and create a great blend of flavors. We love this recipe on cold nights and make it all winter long.

Chicken Chili Verde
Makes: 4 entree servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes      Cooking Time: at least 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs tomatillos, husks removed
• 3 anaheim chiles
• 2 poblano peppers
• 1 jalapeno pepper (optional if you don’t like spicy, use two if you want to feel the burn)
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbs vegetable oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 large white onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 package of chicken breasts (3 large)
• 1 tbs cumin

Topping for the Chili (all optional)

• 1/2 bunch of cilantro, stems removed and chopped
• tortilla chips
• Mexican cheese blend
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 avocado, cut into a thick dice
• 1 lime cut into wedges

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to high broil.
2. Put the tomatillos, chiles, poblanos, and jalapeno(s) on a large cookie sheet and toss with 1/4 cup of the vegetable oil, salt, and pepper. If it’s necessary, put them on two cookie sheets and repeat the following step twice.
3. Put the sheet under the broiler on the second rack from the top for about 20 minutes. Rotate the peppers after 10 minutes, as they start to blacken.
4. Remove the peppers from the oven and place the chiles and peppers in a paper bag. Close off the top and let them rest; this helps the skin peel off easier.
5. When the peppers are cool enough to touch, use the backside of a knife to scrape off the skin and to remove the stem and seeds.
6. In a large stock pot, saute the garlic, onion, and remaining vegetable oil over medium-high heat until they start to caramelize.
7. Add the chicken breasts and cumin, browning both sides of the breasts. Cook the chicken for about 3 minutes per side to brown, and remove the chicken from the pot.
8. Add the peeled peppers, tomatillos and their juice, and the chicken stock to the pot. Scrape the bottom of the pot well with a wooden spoon to get any of the brown bits on the pan back into the chili. Use an immersion blender to blend the chili to your desired texture.
9. Add the chicken breasts back to the pot and cook for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the chicken and roughly chop them or shred with two forks. Return the chicken to the pot and cook remaining 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
10. Serve the chili with any variety of toppings listed above. We like some fresh cilantro, a bunch of shredded cheese, sliced avocado, and crispy tortilla chips to scoop it all up with!