Southwestern Chicken Stew
It makes a lot, because we tend to eat it over a couple of days.
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cook time
- 30 min
- Yield
- 12 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 1/2 Tbsp chipotle spice blend
- 1 1/2 Tsp kosher salt (to taste)
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken
- 1 Tbsp olive oil (for sautéing)
- 2 medium bell peppers (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 C masa harina
- 3 1/2 C chicken stock
- 1/2 Tsp dehydrated minced onion
- 2 14-oz can fire roasted corn (drained)
- 1 14-oz can Rotel diced tomatoes
- 1 28-oz can black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 10-oz can green chiles
- 1 1/2 C red enchilada sauce
- 1 C Monterrey jack cheese
- 2 C cheddar cheese
- 1/2 C pepper jack cheese
Instructions
- 1
Let’s start by prepping the chicken. If you’ve made your spice blend, take 2 tablespoons of it and mix it with 1 teaspoon of salt. Now, rub that mixture all over the chicken, making sure it's nicely coated. This is our first level of flavor.
- 2
Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot (it should shimmer a bit), add the chicken in a single layer. Don’t crowd the pan; if needed, do this in batches. Let the chicken cook undisturbed for about 4 minutes until the edges start to look opaque. Then flip the pieces over and sear the other side for another 2-3 minutes. You don't need it cooked all the way through; it’ll finish cooking in the stew. Once seared, remove the chicken and set it aside on a plate to rest. When it’s cool enough to handle, dice it into small chunks.
- 3
In the same pot, reduce the heat to medium and toss in the diced bell peppers. Sprinkle the remaining salt over them and let them sweat for a minute, stirring to release all the flavorful bits stuck at the bottom of the pot. After a couple of minutes, add the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until it smells divine.
- 4
Now, sprinkle the masa harina over the bell peppers. Stir continuously for about 3 minutes, making sure there are no lumps. You’ll notice the cornflour start to deepen in color—that’s when you know it’s ready.
- 5
Pour in the chicken broth, followed by the remaining chipotle spice blend and dried minced onion. Give it all a good stir and bring it to a low boil.
- 6
Add the drained corn, Rotel, black beans, and Monterey Jack cheese to the pot. I like to add the cheese in batches so it melts evenly. Stir everything together until it’s well combined and starting to look like a proper stew.
- 7
Now, stir in the diced chicken and enchilada sauce. This is where all the flavors start to meld together.
- 8
Stir in the remaining cheddar and pepper jack cheese in batches until fully melted and incorporated.
- 9
Finally, reduce the heat to low, cover the Dutch oven, and let the stew simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Let the stew cool slightly before serving to let all those flavors settle in. Dassit!