Green Chicken Chili

Soup’s on repeat over here. I hope you guys don’t mind.

The chicken tortilla soup was a real hit around here, and then one of you asked for a green chili version. So, I happily obliged! I totally take requests and actually highly welcome them. Let me know what you guys are hankering for and happy to come up with my best suggestion and recipe to pack some serious nutrition into your daily lives. And, this recipe makes enough to keep that nutrition packed for a few days. Hope you like leftovers!

The typical green chili is thickened with corn meal or a roux (flour and butter) or a combination of the two. I wanted to pack in some additional nutritional powerhouses without sacrificing the the integrity of the soup, so this soup is thickened with a can of beans pureed with some of the broth. Drain one can of beans. Add it to the blender with 1 cup of broth and poof! Your soup’s thickener is here. Honestly, this extra step is actually quicker than making a roux – and that includes the blender clean up time. The pureed beans give it a creamy and thicker consistency along with extra protein, fiber, and B vitamins.

I made this recipe in the pressure cooker, but if you don’t have one, no fear. Check out the “Other Thoughts” section to cook this in a slow cooker or on the stove. After multiple batches of the chicken tortilla soup, I decided that I like the way chicken tenders cook in my pressure cooker better than chicken breasts. They shred much easier after cooking, which saves me time and burnt hands. Because god forbid I allow the chicken to cool first before shredding to keep from burning my hands.  I’ve been told an electric blender shreds chicken well too, but I haven’t tried it for myself yet.

The beauty of this soup is that it is completely adaptable. Add a scoop of brown rice to up the carbohydrates and fuel your day or workout. Top with avocado to add appetite pleasing healthy fats. Crunch tortilla chips up in it to get your kids to eat it up. You be the guide!

Green Chicken Chili

Servings 8

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Ingredients

  

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 jalapeno diced
• 3 garlic cloves minced or pressed
• 1/2 Tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• 2 4 oz cans green chili
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cans cannellini beans drained (separated)
• 2 # chicken tenders or breasts
• 1 cup salsa verde 1/2 a jar
• 2 Tbsp lime juice about the juice of 1 lime

Optional Toppings:

• avocado
• brown rice
• cilantro
• greek yogurt or sour cream
• limes
• radishes
• tortilla chips

Instructions

 

• In a pressure cooker (see 'Other Thoughts' below for how-to modify to stove top or crockpot), set to saute. Add oil. Heat. Add onions, jalapenos, and garlic. Saute until softened.
• Add cumin and coriander. Saute until fragrant. Add green chili's and continue to saute until the extra liquid is cooked off.
• Meanwhile in a blender or food processor, puree one can of drained beans with 1 cup of chicken broth.
• Add the pureed beans and broth to the pressure cooker. Also add the remaining broth, chicken, and salsa verde.
• Close pressure cooker. Cook on high pressure for 12 minutes. Use quick release.
• Remove the chicken with tongs and shred. Add chicken back to soup. Add remaining can of drained beans and lime juice.
• Top with desired toppings and enjoy.

Notes

How-to-Use:

Athletes: Serve this chicken chili over brown rice. This is how we ate it, and it is absolutely incredible. This way, you're getting your dose of healthy carbohydrates to round out your meal and support your tough training.

Healthy Eating: Jazz this up however you want to meet your nutritional needs. This soup is high in protein, fiber, and antioxidants. Eat it as is or add some healthy carbohydrates - brown rice. Or some healthy fats - avocado. It's totally customizable to your needs.

Kids: The more tortilla chips, the higher your chances of success. I kid. But, allow your kids to decide what they want to top their soup with and they're more likely to engage and try something new. For little ones, drain a little of the broth off to help with food to mouth success.

Other Thoughts:

• If you don't have a pressure cooker, make on the stove top. Following the directions until #5. Once you add the chicken, cover and bring to a simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes. Then, follow the remaining instructions.
• If you want to use a crockpot, ignore the saute instructions and add all ingredients through step #5 to your crock pot. Cook for 4-6 hours on low. Then, follow the remaining instructions.
• If you want to make this vegan, omit the chicken. And, use vegetable stock instead. It will still be delish! Throw in an extra can of beans for more protein at the end.