Green Chicken Chili with Garbanzo Beans

This chili is somewhere between a soup and a stew. It is light and zippy thanks to the lean ground chicken and tangy tomatillos. It won’t weigh you down like traditional chili and it is perfect to make year round. It has been a family favorite for years!

Green Chicken Chili with Garbanzo Beans

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 large or 2 small onions – chopped

• 1 poblano pepper, chopped small

• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced

• 1-7oz can whole roasted green chilis (like Ortega) – seeds removed and chopped small

• 5 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 pounds ground chicken

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, husked, washed, and roughly chopped

• 1-12 ounce Mexican beer (like Pacifico or Modelo Especial)

• 1 cup chicken stock

• 4 cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

• 2 tablespoons masa harina (corn flour)

• one bunch cilantro, chopped (reserve some for garnish)

• juice of half a lime

• Optional Garnishes: Sour cream, crumbled queso fresco, julienned radishes, chopped green onion, avocado, cilantro, and lime wedges.

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven and sauté the onion, poblano, jalapeño, green chilis and garlic for about 5 minutes.

2. Add the ground chicken and cook until the chicken is cooked through, breaking it up into pieces with a wooden spoon.

3. Add the salt, cumin, coriander, tomatillos, beer, and chicken stock and mix well. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 45 minutes on very low heat. Stir every 15 minutes or so.

4. Using a ladle, add about 1/2 cup of the liquid into a small bowl. Add the masa and whisk well with fork until completely combined. Add back to the stew along with the garbanzo beans and mix well. Bring back to a full simmer and let cook for 15 more minutes without the lid to reduce and thicken. Taste for seasoning…more salt may be needed.

5. Mix in the lime juice and cilantro and serve with optional garnishes and lime wedges.