Chicken and Hatch Chile Stew

In Smoked Green Chili Hashbrown Egg Bake, I mentioned that at my work, we have this "Friday Breakfast Club". People on one of my teams take turns bringing in breakfast for the rest of the group every Friday.

Recently, one of my people brought in what he called "Chicken and Hatch Chile Stew".

I really liked it and thought it would be a good thing to make to help me use up left over smoked meat.

This past Saturday, my family wanted to go to Saturday night church (I was out-voted as I usually am).

When we go to church on Saturday night, I try to make something I can throw in the Crock-pot. And it seemed like a good opportunity to try this "Chicken and Hatch Chile Stew".

Here is the recipe that he gave me:

Chicken and Hatch Chile Stew

Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 45 mins
Total time: 1 hour
Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 c. fresh corn (from about 2 ears)*
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp. coriander
• 1½ tsp. ground cumin
• ¼ tsp. paprika
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. ground black pepper
• 3 fire roasted Hatch chilies, seeds removed and diced**
• 1 (16-oz.) jar Salsa Verde
• 4 c. low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 c. water
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 small rotisserie chicken, pulled
• 1 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
• ½ c. long-grain white rice
•
• Optional garnishes:
• Lime wedges
• Avocado chunks
• Cilantro
• Crispy tortilla strips
• Sour Cream

Directions
1. In a large large stock pot or Dutch oven set over medium heat, heat the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion and corn, cook until fragrant, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then sprinkle in the coriander, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper and continue stirring/cooking for an additional minute or so.
2. Add the hatch chiles, salsa verde, chicken stock, water and lime juice. Turn the heat up and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the chicken and cilantro, simmer for 20 minutes. Pour in the rice, cook until tender, about 15 minutes or so. Garnish and serve immediately.

Of course, I had to change it up a little.

First, I used boneless skinless chicken thighs that I smoked with Apple Wood. I also cut the onion and smoked it along side the thighs.

I combined the Hatch chilies, corn, and  and Salsa Verde in my dutch oven and let it smoke as well.

After the chicken was done, I put that into the dutch oven as well.

Then, when it was about half and hour before time to leave for church, I put the contents of the dutch oven into my crock-pot and then combined everything else.

I set the crock-pot to high for an hour and a half. My hope was that this would give enough time for the rice to cook.

After we got back from church, we served in bowls and ate.

The rice was not done. I should have gone closer to 2 hours (or cooked the rice separately and combined at the end).

It was ok since there wasn't much rice in the recipe, but it certainly could have been better.

Still, it was very good.

I'll be making this again.

Go Bears!