Grilled Chipotle Chicken Breasts with Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salsa

 

This recipe is from a Fine Cooking Grilling issue.  It is a favorite, and makes a good dinner party menu served Arroz Verde.  There are a lot of ingredients, but the marinade/sauce and salsa can be done ahead.  I have found that the marinade really makes a lot, and think you could add more chicken and not increase the marinade. I like to add avocado to the salsa - because I can!

Serves 6 

 

CHICKEN

 

Ingredients:

·      1 7-oz can chipotles in adobo sauce (you only use ½ of the can -I have also used chipotle paste in a tube)

·      1 white onion, coarsely chopped

·      ½ cup chopped cilantro

·      1/3 large jalapeno, seeded and chopped (reserve the rest for the salsa)

·      ½ cup fresh lime juice from about 4 limes

·      Kosher salt

·      2 cups mayonnaise, more as needed

·      6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

·      Lime wedges for serving

 

Directions:

·      Put half the chipotles in a blender

·      Add the onion, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice and a pinch of salt.

·      Puree, transfer to a bowl and whisk in the mayonnaise (add more mayo if the marinade is too spicy).

·      Reserve 1 cup of marinade for serving.

·      Add the chicken to the remaining mixture, toss to coat, cover, and refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours.

·      Remove the chicken from the marinade, leaving a light coating on it.

·      Grill the chicken without moving for 4 to 6 minutes. 

·      Flip and grill until just cooked through (160 degrees) another 4 to 6 minutes.

·      Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest for a few minutes.

·      Thinly slice the chicken and serve with the salsa, reserved marinade and lime wedges.

 

SALSA

 

Ingredients:

·      2 large ripe tomatoes, cut into ½ inch dice

·      2 ears of corn, husked

·      1 T. olive oil

·      1 15.5-oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained

·      4 scallions, thinly sliced

·      2/3 jalapeno, seeded and minced

·      1/3 cup chopped cilantro

·      1 ½ t. grated lime zest

·      1 ½ T. fresh lime juice

·      Kosher salt

·      I avocado, diced (optional)

 

Directions:

·      Put the tomatoes in a strainer and let the excess liquid drain.

·      Brush the corn with oil and grill over a medium high fire, turning occasionally, until the corn is charred but still crisp tender, about 8 minutes total.

·      Let the corn cool slightly, then cut the kernels from the cob.

·      Toss the corn, tomatoes, black beans, scallions, jalapeno, lime zest and juice, and salt.

·      Gently stir in the avocado if using.

White Chili

I had white chili for the first time many, many years ago at Timothy’s Cafe and Restaurant in Louisville.  Timothy’s is long gone, but their recipe lives on.  It was published by both Bon Appetit and the Courier-Journal.  The recipe here is based upon the original recipe from the restaurant. 

For the 4 cups of chicken listed in the recipe, you can substitute the chicken meat from a rotisserie chicken, or a bag of rotisserie chicken breast meat from Costco, picked over.

Garnish the chili with grated Monterey Jack cheese, salsa, and sour cream.

Makes about 4 1/2 quarts, serving 8-10

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 4-ounce cans chopped green chilis
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Salt
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 4 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 cups cooked chicken breast, cut up (4 bone-in skin on chicken breasts will yield about 4 cups of cooked meat)
  

Directions:

1. Saute the onions with the oil over medium heat in a large dutch oven (I used a Le Creuset #26) until tender, about 10-12 minutes.
   
2. Add the garlic, green chilis, cumin, oregano, pepper, and salt and cook for another few minutes.
   
3. Add the chicken stock and 1/2 of the beans.
   
4. Puree the mixture using an immersion blender or by transferring the mixture to a regular blender, until mostly smooth.  This serves to thicken the chili, but you can skip this step if desired.
   
5. Add the rest of the beans and the chicken, and simmer for about 30 minutes.  
   

Ground Beef Chili

This chili is delicious and easy to put together, but it does need some time to cook.  The recipe is from Cook's Illustrated with only two changes that are noted below.  It has two aspects that I find interesting.  First, you make your own chili powder from ground dried chilies.  Second, the ground beef is mixed with a bit of water and baking soda to encourage browning and to keep the meat tender and juicy.  The baking soda works on both fronts. 

This makes about 2-3 quarts

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds 90% lean ground beef (the recipe purposely calls for 85% lean since the fat carries flavor, I think it is too fatty)
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 cups of water
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• Salt & pepper
• 6 dried ancho chilies, stemmed, seeded and torn into one inch pieces
• 1 ounce tortilla chips – OR – 2 corn tortillas torn into pieces (you could also use a couple of tablespoons of cornmeal)
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 14.5 ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce (I used Olo's Chipotle paste in a tube that I found at Sur La Table)
• 1 15 ounce can pinto beans
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 275 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, mix two tablespoons of water with the baking soda, and mix in the ground beef until thoroughly combined.  Set aside for 20 minutes.
3. Place ancho chilies in a Dutch oven over medium high heat and toast, stirring frequently for 4-6 minutes.
   
4. Place anchos, tortilla chips or tortillas, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, coriander, oregano, thyme, and 2 teaspoons pepper in the bowl of food processor and process until finely ground, about two minutes.  Transfer to a bowl.
   
   
   
   
5. Process tomatoes and their juice in the now empty processor until smooth.
   
6. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add onion and cook until softened, about 4-6minutes.
   
7. Add garlic and still for another minute.
8. Add ground beef mixture to pan and cook for 12-14 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up the meat, until the beef is browned. 
   
   
   
   
9. Add the chili mixture and the chipotle and cook for 1-2 minutes to bloom the spices.
   
10. Add the 2 cups of water, the beans and their liquid, the tomatoes, and the sugar.  Bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any fond.
    
11. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven and cook for 1.5 to 2 hours.
12. Remove the chili from the oven and let stand, uncovered for 10 minutes.  Stir in the vinegar and season to taste with salt.
    

This may be made ahead and frozen.

Serve with any of the following:

Cheese, sour cream, chopped white or green onion, avocado, cilantro, lime 

Corn muffins are great with chili too!

Sous-Vide Pork Carnitas

I am fortunate enough to have a very thoughtful and generous sister who gave me an ANOVA sous vide machine.  Kenji Lopez-Alt at Serious Eats published this recipe for Sous Vide Carnitas and it is delicious.  I also made the Charred Salsa Verde to go with the tacos.

Sous-Vide Carnitas:

Vacuum-sealed 

Seasoning the pork shoulder

23 hours at 165 degrees

Just out of the freezer

Unpacked and the juice strained

Shredded pork

Ready for the broiler

Nice and brown!

The best tacos!

 Charred Salsa Verde:

Ingredients

Ready for the broiler

Nicely charred

All into the blender

Reduce

Ready for the tacos!

 

The Best Corn Muffins

This recipe was published by Cook's Illustrated in 2002. I have made them many, many times. They are moist and tender, and not too sweet. A favorite for serving with chili, or for breakfast with butter and jam.  

Notes:
I follow the recommendation of the folks at Cook's and use Arrowhead Mills yellow cornmeal.  It is available at Rainbow Blossom and Whole Foods.  I also highly recommend using an ice cream scoop to portion the batter into the pan.  It makes it very easy, and your muffins are all the same size.  These muffins freeze beautifully, just thaw and reheat in a low oven.  They are best served warm.

Makes 12 muffins, or 24 mini muffins

Ingredients:
2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 cup (4.5 ounces) fine-ground, whole-grain yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup (5.25 ounces) sugar
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup (6.25 fluid ounces) sour cream
1/2 cup (4.25 fluid ounces) milk

Directions:
1.  Heat oven to 400 degrees and spray a standard muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2.  Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
3.  Whisk eggs in a second medium bowl until well combined and light colored.

4.  Add sugar to eggs and whisk vigorously until thick and homogeneous, about 30 seconds.

5.  Mix in melted butter in three additions.

6.  Whisk in the sour cream and milk in two additions.

7.  Add flour/cornmeal mixture and mix gently with a rubber spatula until batter is just combined and evenly moist.

8.  Use an ice cream scoop to divide the batter evenly among muffin cups.

9.  Bake for 15-18 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking time.  A toothpick inserted in the center of muffins should come out clean.

10.  Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then invert muffins onto a wire rack and cool 5 minutes longer.