Chicken and Three Bean Chili Verde is a one-pot Mexican-style wonder. While the tomatillos and fresh lime juice give it a zesty flavor that is out of this world, then as result the soup into a rich tomatillo and green poblano mixture that is much faster to cook than your red-based chili. However, it tastes like it was cooked all day.
Chicken and Three Bean Chili Verde have layers of flavors! Serve with a green salad and, of course, some Cervesas and Margaritas!
Chicken and Three Bean Chili Verde is a perfect soup with the start of the fall season, but it can be made all year long. The chili is so refreshing and healthy, with the tomatillos as the base and finishing with the lime juice and cilantro.
Chicken and Three Bean Chili Verde is straightforward to prepare, but, first, buy fresh tomatillos at your local grocery store or farmer’s market.
Starting the Soup:
Add the chicken stock, husked tomatillos, and garlic gloves to a large pot. It already sounds yummy! Let the mixture come to a boil and adjust the heat if needed. After about 10 minutes, the mixture should be done. After that, with a good processor, whirl the mixture until thoroughly puréed. Set aside.
In a Dutch Oven, sauté the onions and peppers with Smoked Olive Oil and Kosher Salt. Also, during the sauté process, add the ground spices – chili powder, ground cumin, and coriander. You will begin to smell the aroma of the spices. Be careful not to let it burn.
Time for the Tomatillos:
Add the purred Tomatillos to the sauté. Mix everything thoroughly and cook for 2-3 minutes. Next, add the Mexican Oregano, the frozen white corn, and the shredded cooked chicken, and again mix thoroughly. Local tomatillos are in season from summer and well into fall around our area. Note: Tomatillos have a slightly more acidic, somewhat less sweet flavor than ripe and unripe tomatoes. Overall, the taste is more vegetal and bright, with the interior texture denser and less watery.
Now it’s time to add the beans!
Add the drained and rinsed black, navy, and small kidney beans to the soup and stir thoroughly. If you need more liquid at this point, add a little more chicken stock.
Let the soup cook medium to medium-high for 10 minutes to combine the flavors. After that, prepare all the toppings and place them in small bowls so they can be added easily when serving.
Finally, add the fresh cilantro, the squeezed fresh lime juice, Kosher Salt, and Smoked pepper.
The Chicken and Three Bean Chili Verde are ready to serve. Ladle the soup into your bowls, and then let your guests choose their toppings to add to the soup!
Serve the chili in bowls topped with avocado, your choice of cheese, sour cream, fresh cilantro, crushed tortilla chips, and a lime wedge – optional.
Items for this recipe that I recommend:
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Immersion Blender: What I have
Beans – I like Ingles’s Harvest Organic Beans or Publix Greenwise Organic Beans
Chili Powder: list of two options: One & Two
Coriander Seeds: listed two options: One & Two
Chicken and Three Bean Chili Verde
Ingredients
- 14 Tomalillos – about 3 lbs. – husks removed
- 3 Garlic Cloves – chopped
- 48 oz. Box of Chicken Broth – organic if possible *
- 1 Medium Sweet Onion – chopped
- 3 Poblano Peppers – seeded and chopped
- 2 tbsp. Smoked Olive Oil *
- 2 tsp. Kosher Salt
- 1 1/2 tbsp. Chili Powder *
- 2 tsp. Cumin – ground *
- 1 tsp. Coriander Seeds – Ground *
- 1 tsp Mexican Oregano *
- 16 oz. Package Frozen White Corn – or fresh if available
- 3 Cups Cooked Chicken – shredded
- 1 – 15 oz. Can Black Beans – drained and rinsed *
- 1 – 15 oz. Can Navy Beans – drained and rinsed *
- 1 – 15 oz. Can Small Kidney Beans *
- 1/2 Cup Fresh Cilantro – chopped
- 3 tbsp. Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
- 1 tsp. Kosher Salt – to taste
- 1/2 tsp. Smoked Ground Pepper *
- Toppings:
- Avocado Slices
- Shredded Jack Cheese
- Sour Cream
- Fresh Cilantro – chopped
- Tortilla Chips – lightly crushed
- Lime Wedge – optional
Instructions
- Bring the first three ingredients and 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium-size saucepan. Boil for 10 minutes, making sure to turn the tomatillos over in the pan so that the tomatillos will cook evenly. Set aside to slighty cool.
- Meanwhile, add the Smoked Olive oil to a large Dutch oven. Add the onions and peppers and cook over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until tender. Next, add the kosher salt, chili powder, cumin, coriander, and oregano to the saute mixture and saute until the spices are slightly caramelized but not burned.
- Next, add the corn and saute for 2 minutes.
- Process the slightly cooled mixture with a hand-held mixer, a Vitamix, or a blender until smooth.
- Next, add the chicken, the beans, and the tomatillo mixture to the Dutch oven. Mix all the ingredients until thoroughly mixed and heat for 15 to 20 minutes. Finally, stir in the cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper.
- To serve – place in individual soup bowls and garnish with the all the toppings.