The air is crisp and it's officially soup season! Pasture Raised Chicken Chili Verde is the perfect, cozy weeknight meal that's prepped super quickly in the Instant Pot. Some might say this is more of a stew than a chili, but everyone agrees it's absolutely delicious, comforting, and easy to make! Packed with tomatillos, poblano peppers, jalapeños, onion, garlic, lime juice, and spices this chicken chili requires very minimal prep – just roughly chop and toss in the pot. Don't worry about the jalapeños making it spicy, there's more than enough going on to mellow them out.

After a quick 15-minute cook at high pressure, the fall-apart tender chicken is shredded and stirred back into the pot along with black beans. Serve with your favorite toppings such as shredded sharp white cheddar cheese, sour cream, avocado slices, cilantro, lime wedges, and hot, fresh tortillas for dipping. Note below for alternative cooking methods if you don't have an Instant Pot or want a set it and forget it option. You're going to want to add this one to your regular rotation – let's get cooking!

INGREDIENTS

• 1.5 lb. 1915 Farm Pasture Raised Chicken Leg Quarters, Bone-in Thighs, or Boneless Thighs
• 3/4 lb. (about 4-5) tomatillos, husked and quartered
• 1 lb. poblano peppers, seeds discarded, roughly chopped
• 2 jalapeño peppers, roughly chopped
• 1 medium yellow or white onion, roughly chopped
• 8 medium garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1.5 Tbsp cumin powder
• 2 tsp kosher salt, more to taste
• 1 Tbsp chipotle powder
• 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed 
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped, to stir in at the end

To Serve – 

• Fresh flour tortillas, warm
• Sharp white cheddar cheese, freshly grated
• Avocado slices
• Cilantro, finely chopped
• Sour cream
• Lime wedges

INSTRUCTIONS

Remove chicken from package and season with kosher salt on both sides. To the Instant Pot, add chicken skin side down, tomatillos, poblano peppers, jalapeños, onion, garlic, cumin, chipotle, salt, and lime juice.

Using sauté mode on high, heat without moving for a few minutes until sizzling, then place lid on pressure cooker, ensuring the top dial is turned to 'sealing' (not 'venting'). Cook for 15 minutes on high pressure. Release manually if you're short on time, or let naturally release for 10 or so minutes. 

Using tongs, carefully remove the chicken pieces to a cutting board and shred meat from the bones. Reserve bones and skin for broth (if you don't keep a 'broth bag' in your freezer, now is the time to start)!

Blend remaining liquid with an immersion hand blender or transfer to a standing blender to purée. Add rinsed black beans along with a pinch of salt. Taste the verde for seasoning and add more salt if needed. Sometimes I add a touch more cumin or a pinch of cayenne for heat. 

Return shredded chicken to the pot and stir in minced cilantro. Transfer to serving bowls, topping with shredded cheese, avocado slices, sour cream, cilantro, and a fresh, warm flour tortilla for dipping (alternatively, crunched up tortilla chips would be great too)!

Alternative Cooking Methods:

• Slow Cooker/Crock Pot: Add chicken, tomatillos, peppers, garlic, onions, spices, and lime juice to a crock pot with a splash or two of chicken broth (since the Instant Pot method quickly releases liquids from the vegetables, chicken broth helps get things going in these alternative methods). Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 4-5 hours. Remove chicken and shred, blend ingredients in the pot using a hand /immersion blender, then add black beans and shredded chicken back to pot and keep on warming mode until ready to eat. Garnish with your desired toppings and serve.
• Dutch Oven / Braiser:  Preheat oven to 325°. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add olive oil and sear chicken legs a few minutes until golden brown on skin side. Remove to a plate and add tomatillos,  peppers, garlic, onions, spices, and lime juice. Sauté until everything is starting to soften. Return the chicken to the pot along with a splash of chicken broth (since the Instant Pot method quickly releases liquids from the vegetables, chicken broth helps get things going in these alternative methods). Place a lid on the pot and transfer to the oven for 1 hour or until meat easily shreds off the bone. Once done, remove chicken and shred, blend ingredients in the pot using a hand /immersion blender, then add black beans and shredded chicken back to pot. 

We hope you enjoy this recipe! If you’d like to share your delicious dish on Instagram, don’t forget to tag us @1915_Farm

P.S. If you love our pasture raised chicken – consider subscribing to the new Grassroots Meat Club (ships free in TX, reduced in other states). Each box includes a variety of hand-selected grassfed and pasture raised meats, such as chicken breasts, chicken tenders, leg quarters, wings, thighs, drumsticks, whole chicken, ground beef, kabobs, stew meat, stir fry, cutlets, London broil (top round), beef roasts, beef ossobuco, short ribs, various sausages, pork roasts, pork chops, bacon, ground pork, fajita meat, country style ribs, spare ribs, and bacon!

Recipe adapted from Serious Eats