RECIPE: Chicken Chili Bake with Chipotle Cheddar Biscuits

October 31, 2015 at 6:09 pm · Filed under Bread-Crackers-Sandwiches, Meat & Poultry, Recipes, Super Bowl

[1] Here’s a hearty chili and chicken dish for game day. We made extra biscuits. Who can resist Cheddar Chipotle Buttermilk Biscuits? (photo © Wisconsin Dairy).

[2] We served the extra biscuits with honey butter. Here’s the recipe (photo © McCormick).

Chipotles In Adobo Recipe br />
[3] Chipotles in adobo sauce. You can buy them canned (next photo) or make your own. Here’s the recipe (photo © Venturists).

Chipotle Chiles In Adobo Sauce
[4] There are many brands of chipotle in adobo sauce. Hot and spicy La Morena combines smoked red jalapeños, onion, tomato and spices (photo © La Morena).

[4] Dried whole chipotle chiles. A chipotle is a smoke-dried ripe (red) jalapeño chili chile pepper (photo © iGourmet).

We’re having a small group over tomorrow to watch the New York City Marathon, and are making the same recipe that was popular with them last year.

We’re doubling the recipe, so we can have leftovers and because fights almost broke out over the Chipotle Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits.

National Totally Chipotle Day is May 5th.

> The history of chile peppers.

> The different types of chiles.

RECIPE: CHICKEN CHILI BAKE WITH
CHIPOTLE CHEDDAR BISCUITS

Ingredients For 4-6 Servings

For The Chili

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

Salt and black pepper

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

4 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1-1/2 cups crushed tomatoes

1-1/2 cups chicken broth

1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans

For The Biscuits

2 cups flour

1-1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, cut in small cubes

1 cup buttermilk

1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) Wisconsin cheddar cheese, shredded

2 tablespoons chipotles in adobo, any seeds removed, chopped and patted dry

Preparation

1. MAKE the chili: In a deep cast iron skillet or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. When the pan is hot, brown the chicken on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. (You may need to do this in 2 batches–do not overcrowd the pan.) Transfer the chicken to a plate and set it aside.

2. DISCARD all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the pan and return it to medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they begin to soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the chili powder and cumin, mix to combine, and cook for 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth.

3. INCREASE the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Return the thighs to the pan and nestle them in the tomato sauce mixture. Reduce the heat to low; cover and simmer 35 to 40 minutes.

While chicken simmers, prepare the biscuit dough.

4. HEAT the oven to 450°F. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture is crumbly. Add the buttermilk and cheese; stir until just combined. Fold in the chopped chipotles.

5. TURN the dough onto a floured work surface. Flatten and gently fold the dough over onto itself 5 or 6 times. Press into an 8-inch circle, about 1-inch thick. With a floured biscuit cutter or cookie cutter (about 2.75-inch diameter), cut the biscuits. Press the dough scraps together and cut additional biscuits.

6. REMOVE the chicken thighs when they have reached 165°F internal temperature on a meat thermometer. Place on a cutting board to cool slightly.

7. ADD the beans to the tomato sauce mixture and keep the pan over low heat. Remove the skin and bones from the chicken and shred the meat using two forks. Return the shredded meat to the pan and mix well. Top the chili mixture with the biscuits so that they barely touch. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown.

If you are baking extra biscuits, bake them on a parchment-topped baking sheet.