easy white chicken chili

I had a super cozy weekend in West Virginia last weekend. We hiked a bit on the Appalachian trail and cooked a lot of tasty food. I love car trips where I can justify bring my Le Creuset and packing all the snacks. I made this easy white chicken chili on the stove and let it simmer for a couple of hours, but you could also make this in the slow cooker or instant pot. If you wanted to make a vegetarian version, I would sear mushrooms in place of chicken thighs, and bulk it up with navy beans and hominy. Allow it to cook for one hour, so that the flavors have a chance to deepen and the mushrooms can absorb all of the flavor.

Tools needed: heavy bottomed pot. I used my Dutch oven.

Ingredients:

1 white onion, small dice

4 poblano peppers, small dice

2 garlic cloves, minced

9 chicken thighs, bone and skin on

1 qt chicken stock

1 8 oz jar salsa verde

1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

welcome additions: navy beans or hominy

toppings:

sour cream

avocado

tortilla chips

queso fresco, crumbled

Step 1:

Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and season with salt. Place a heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken thighs, skin side down. You will likely need to do this in a couple of batches. Allow the skin to brown and then flip and cook for a few more minutes on the other side. Remove the chicken thighs once browned.

Step 2:

Add the peppers and onions to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Stir, making sure to scrape up any brown bits left behind from the chicken. Cook until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a few more minutes.

Step 3:

Add the salsa verde to the pot and allow to cook for a few minutes. Add the chicken back to the pot and cover with the chicken stock. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer with the lid on for 1-2 hours or until the chicken is falling off the bone.

Step 4:

Remove the chicken and allow to cool slightly before shredding. Add the meat back to the pot, along with the chopped cilantro. Stir and check the seasoning. Adjust as needed. Serve and top with diced avocado, queso fresco, and sour cream. Enjoy!