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Post by funkykikuchiyo on Nov 12, 2023 13:27:51 GMT -5
My grocery habits have me buying large quantities of chicken breasts and freezing stuff I can't use within a week, so I end up with a pile of frozen pieces that I'd rather not try to cook straight since it'll be too dry. Not normally the biggest fan of chicken chili, but I was determined to make it work. Thought I'd share what has worked for me.
-Smack the ever living #$&% out of the chicken with a mallet before cutting and marinating. (high acid - I use the bottled lemon juice and some chili powder and cumin)
-Cut pieces small, both chicken and veggies. Hearty soups and stews get big pieces, chili gets small pieces. This is a hard habit to break for me for some reason.
-Add some butter and sugar. You won't make it greasy or sweet. Part of the weird taste of chicken chili is the vegetal/bitter tastes of the other ingredients. Usually the fat in the beef tames this for you, but chicken is too lean so it needs some help. I have a big pot of chili going, and I used two scoops (whatever came with my plastic jug... table spoon sized?) of sugar, and probably about 1/3rd stick of butter.
And, a bunch of other things I would do with any other chili.
Anyone else have tricks?
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Post by jazzguy on Nov 12, 2023 14:04:16 GMT -5
You'll find my chicken chili recipe in the cookbook section of the forum.
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Post by Ragtop on Nov 13, 2023 7:12:56 GMT -5
We buy the chopped-up chicken at Costco. Pre-cooked, bagged and sealed, all white meat. It might be from their leftover rotissiere chickens.
It's REALLY good. We use it in soups and various dishes, especially mexican. Especially good in a crockpot white Texas sort of chili.
And Mrs. R makes a killer chicken pot pie with it.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Nov 13, 2023 8:44:42 GMT -5
For soups and Mexi-style dishes I prefer to use chicken thighs, bone in. I like to use it for chicken quesadillas. I've done a white bean chili with ground chicken before, lots of fresh cilantro and carrots. It's OK for a change but I don't crave it so it's been a while. Chicken breasts are way too finicky a meat, at least in my kitchen.
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Post by Leftee on Nov 13, 2023 9:04:15 GMT -5
My wife makes a white chicken chili that has surpassed red chili, to my taste buds. 10 years ago if you would have told me that situation would exist, I'd have laughed at you.
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Post by rickyguitar on Nov 13, 2023 19:06:32 GMT -5
Love to try it. I have a brother that makes KILLER chili with ground bison. Excellent, but I love chili.
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Post by LTB on Nov 13, 2023 23:57:30 GMT -5
Never tried Chicken Chili. If someone had some made I might try it. I do not like dark meat. Chicken breast is my favorite.
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Post by ninworks on Nov 14, 2023 9:34:31 GMT -5
Go you mean chicken chili, or "CHICKEN" chili?  |
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Nov 14, 2023 9:45:13 GMT -5
😂
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Post by funkykikuchiyo on Nov 15, 2023 10:49:56 GMT -5
For soups and Mexi-style dishes I prefer to use chicken thighs, bone in. I like to use it for chicken quesadillas. I've done a white bean chili with ground chicken before, lots of fresh cilantro and carrots. It's OK for a change but I don't crave it so it's been a while. Chicken breasts are way too finicky a meat, at least in my kitchen. Same, but I use chicken breast because it is what is piled up in my freezer. If I make a soup I'll make sure to grab some thighs, but trying to control grocery costs has become a fixation of mine lately.
It is actually refreshing to focus on staples and cheap options. Over the past 20 years or so, special this, organic that, and everything made us forget how much you can do with the types of ingredients that were all over in the '70s and '80s. That isn't to say breasts are less fancy than thighs (they're probably more expensive), but it means one less thing on a grocery list for me, and nothing is going in the trash.
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Post by langford on Nov 15, 2023 19:47:12 GMT -5
Go you mean chicken chili, or "CHICKEN" chili? What Auf said. You win the internet today. |
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Post by langford on Nov 15, 2023 19:56:37 GMT -5
It is actually refreshing to focus on staples and cheap options. Over the past 20 years or so, special this, organic that, and everything made us forget how much you can do...
Too true. As a society, we've gotten into the habit of outsourcing way too much. Here in Toronto, some condo developers are building small units without stoves/ovens (just a microwave and a sink). They're figuring the buyers they're targetting are just going to use some kind of delivery service. F'ing nuts, IMO. |
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