Charred Poblano White Chicken Chili with Seared Thighs

Method

1. Cut the thighs in half and toss them with the salt, cumin, ground coriander and oregano. Dice the poblano into 1 cm pieces. Heat a dry 22 cm pot over medium-high heat, add the corn and poblano and cook for 4 min, stirring only now and then, until both have dark scorched spots. Tip into a bowl.

   Add in this stepChicken thighs (boneless, skinless) 350 gSalt 0.6 tspGround cumin 1¼ tspGround coriander ½ tspDried oregano ½ tspSweetcorn (drained if canned, thawed if frozen) 100 gPoblano pepper (or a green bell pepper) 1

   medium-high heat

2. Add the oil to the same pot and lay the thighs in a single layer, smooth side down. Sear over medium-high heat for 4 min without moving them, until deep golden and they release easily, then turn and sear for 3 min. Move to a plate; they finish cooking later. If the pot size (22 cm) shows ×2, sear in two batches so the pot is not crowded.

   Add in this stepCooking oil 1 tbsp

   medium-high heat

3. Add the chopped onion and jalapeño to the fat in the pot and cook over medium heat for 6 min, scraping up the browned bits, until the onion is soft and golden at the edges.

   Add in this stepOnion 1Jalapeño (or other green chili) ½

   medium heat

4. Add the chopped garlic and fry over medium heat for 1 min, just until fragrant. Do not let it brown or it turns bitter.

   Add in this stepGarlic (cloves) 3

   medium heat

5. Pour in the stock and scrape the bottom again. Blend ⅓ of the beans with a ladle of the stock until smooth (or mash with a fork), then add to the pot with the rest of the beans, the thighs and any juices on the plate. Bring to a boil over high heat for 6 min, then lower to medium-low heat, half cover and simmer for 18 min. The chicken is done at 80°C in the centre and pulls apart easily.

   Add in this stepChicken stock 600 mlCanned white beans (cannellini or navy, drained) 250 g

   medium-low heat→high heat

6. Lift out the thighs, shred them with two forks and return them to the pot with the charred corn and poblano. Stir over low heat for 3 min to heat through. Turn off the heat, stir in the sour cream and lime juice, taste and add salt.

   Add in this stepSour cream 60 gLime ¼Salt ⅛ tsp

   low heat

7. Ladle into bowls and top with sliced avocado, grated cheese and chopped coriander. Serve with lime wedges and tortilla chips.

   Add in this stepAvocado ½Monterey Jack (grated) 30 gCoriander leaves (cilantro) 5 gLime ¼