Chicken Chili

Serves 8

3 ancho chiles 1 tablespoon cumin seeds 2 cups Homemade Chicken Stock (recipe follows), or low-sodium canned2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce1/4 cup olive oil 1 large onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice 4 medium garlic cloves, minced1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch chunks 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano 2 teaspoons dried epazote

1. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add ancho chiles, and toast until fragrant and beginning to blacken. Remove from skillet, and let stand until cool enough to handle. Add cumin seeds to skillet, and toast, shaking skillet constantly, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder, and grind until fine. Set aside.

2. Tear ancho chiles into pieces, and place in the jar of a blender. Add Chicken Stock and chipotles in adobo sauce. Purée, and set aside.

3. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add chicken, and cook, stirring, until the exterior turns white, about 5 minutes. Add reserved cumin, oregano, epazote, and ground chipotle; cook5 minutes more.

4. Stir in the stock mixture, beans, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until flavors have married and liquid is thickened and reduced, about 40 minutes.

5. Serve immediately. Place cheese, onion, cilantro, sour cream, avocado, and tortilla strips on the side for sewing.

Sources:

Dried Chilies epazote, Mexican Oregano www.penzeys.com

1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chiles 3 fifteen-ounce cans kidney beans, drained 1 fifteen-ounce can diced tomatoes Freshly grated Monterey Jack cheese, for serving (optional) Diced red onion, for serving (optional)Fresh cilantro leaves, for serving (optional)Sour cream, for serving (optional)Diced avocado, for serving (optional)Toasted Corn Tortilla Strips (recipe follows), or tortilla chips, for serving (optional)

MARTHA STEWART LIVING OMNIMEDIA

Homemade Chicken Stock

Makes 5 quarts

This recipe makes more than you'll need for many recipes, but the stock can be frozen for up to four months. The gelatin from the chicken bones is released during the long cooking time yielding a rich, flavorful stock.

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns6 sprigs fresh dill or 2 teaspoons dried dill6 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley2 dried bay leaves 2 leeks, washed, white and pale-green parts only, cut into thirds 2 carrots, scrubbed, cut into thirds 2 stalks celery, cut into thirds1 four-pound chicken, cut into 6 pieces1 1/2 pounds chicken wings1 1/2 pounds chicken backs12 cups (two 48-ounce cans) canned low-sodium chicken broth

1. Place peppercorns, dill, parsley, bay leaves, leeks, carrots, celery, chicken, wings, and backs into a large stockpot. Add stock and 6 cups cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a very gentle simmer, and cook for 45 minutes. Liquid should just bubble up to the surface. A skin will form on the surface of the liquid; skim this off with a slotted spoon, and discard. Repeat as needed. After 45 minutes, remove chicken from the pot, and set aside until it is cool enough to handle.

2. Remove the meat from the bones, set the meat aside, and return the bones to the pot. Shred the chicken, and set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use. Continue to simmer the stock, on the lowest heat possible, for 3 hours, skimming as needed. The chicken bones will begin to disintegrate. Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a very large bowl. Discard the solids. Place the bowl in an ice bath, and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to airtight containers. Stock may be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for 4 months. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight. If storing, leave fat layer intact to the seal the stock. Before using, remove the layer of fat that has collected on the surface.

MARTHA STEWART LIVING OMNIMEDIA

Toasted Corn Tortilla Strips

Makes about 40

8 corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch-wide strips

1. Preheat oven to 375° . Spread tortilla strips in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until crisp and just beginning to turn golden, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and let stand until cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

MARTHA STEWART LIVING OMNIMEDIA