Peppers plus chicken plus beans -- could it be chili?

Those last poblanos presented a puzzle. I grew the peppers for the first time this year, and they did well. But with the weather cooling off, the many little green ones on the plant were unlikely to get bigger, or ripen. So they were harvested. Now to use them!

And as it happened, I also had leftover rotisserie chicken (on the bone), several homegrown jalapeños, plenty of canned beans, plus garlic and onions. A recipe from the New York Times matched up well enough to be a good jumping-off point.  No cilantro (!) or fresh corn at the store, but I had pantry versions.

Incidentally, this dish is creamy without milk or sour cream: Half the beans are mashed and stirred into the pot, adding heft. A great technique that works in vegetable soup, too.

Ah, but should this be called "white chicken chili"? Purists insist that only beef, chilies and spices -- no other vegetables, no beans -- constitute chili. So we'll call this "Pepper-chicken stew with white beans and corn." 

This can be put together more quickly than I made it, with leftover chicken, plus more pantry items such as canned roasted chilies or salsa verde, canned broth as well as canned beans, and frozen vegetables.  Adjust the spices to taste, and garnish with options such as avocado, tortilla chips, shredded cheese or sour cream. The lime is a must; mine came from the tree outside my back door.

To make this vegetarian, eliminate the chicken, add a third can of beans, and substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth.

Pepper-chicken stew with white beans and corn

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to coat peppers

3 large poblano peppers (or 2 and several small), or two 4-ounce cans diced green chilies, or 1 cup salsa verde

1 large onion, chopped

1 large or 2 small jalapeños, seeded (retain seeds if desired for heat) and minced

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika or chili powder

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

5 cups low-sodium chicken broth, homemade (see note below) or purchased, divided

Two 15-ounce cans white beans, such as cannellini

2-1/2 to 4 cups leftover or rotisserie chicken, shredded into bite-size pieces

1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels

1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro or 1 teaspoon freeze-dried cilantro

1 lime, quartered

For garnish and serving (optional): Sliced avocado, tortilla chips, shredded Mexican cheese blend, fresh cilantro, sour cream

Instructions:

If using fresh poblanos, heat oven to 425 degrees. Rub the skins of the peppers with oil, place them on a flat pan, and roast them in the oven until the skins blister. Let cool, then peel off the skins and cut the peppers into bite-size strips. (Large poblanos also can be blistered on a grill.) Set aside.

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and jalapeño, and cook until the onion is tender. Add the garlic, oregano leaves, paprika (or chili powder), cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper. Allow this mixture to cook a few minutes.

Stir 4 cups of chicken broth and the reserved poblanos into the pot. Drain and rinse one can of beans, and stir that in as well.  Drain some of the liquid off the second can, then pour the rest of the contents into a small bowl. Mash the beans into its remaining liquid with a fork, then blend this into the pot as well.

Bring the pot contents to boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat and simmer until the stew thickens, about 20 minutes. Then add the shredded chicken, corn kernels and cilantro, and simmer at least 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. If the stew seems too thick, add some of the remaining chicken broth.

Ready to serve? Squeeze a lime quarter over each bowl, then garnish as desired, with sliced avocado, tortilla chips, shredded Mexican cheese blend, fresh cilantro and/or sour cream.

To make chicken broth from a leftover rotisserie chicken: 

Cut off and reserve any chicken meat that can be used in the stew, but leave small bits on the bones to flavor the broth. Break the carcass into pieces, and place it, the wings, legs and any skin in a large soup pot or Dutch oven.

Add 1 large carrot, trimmed and roughly chopped; 2 or 3 celery stalks, cut into thirds; 1 large onion, cut into quarters; several parsley stalks (optional); some peppercorns and a pinch of salt. Then add 10 to 12 cups of cold water, enough to cover the chicken bones.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer at least 60 minutes -- 2 to 3 hours is better for flavor, but the shorter time will work for broth intended for the chicken stew.

Using a slotted spoon, lift the vegetables and bones out of the broth, then strain the liquid through a sieve into another pot or a large bowl. A pot started with 12 cups water will yield about 8 cups of broth. Any broth not used in the stew can be frozen for later use.