Healthy Chicken Chili with Barley
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
This chili is best the second day – feel free to make in advance.
Serves: 4 to 6
Ingredients
For the chili:
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 green pepper, trimmed and diced
  • 1 zucchini, diced
  • 1 poblano pepper, trimmed and minced
  • 1½ teaspoons oregano
  • 1½ teaspoons cumin
  • 1½ teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • pepper
  • 1½ pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • ½ cup pearl barley
  • 5 cups water
  • 1 can diced green chiles
  • One 14-ounce can white beans, rinsed
  • Juice of half a lime
For serving:
  • Plain Greek yogurt, 2% or full fat
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • Fresh cilantro leaves
  • Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
  1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, green pepper, poblano, and zucchini and sauté until all are translucent, about 10 minutes. Push the veggies to the side, and add the chicken skin side down. Brown the chicken for a minute on each side. Add the spices, salt, and a few grinds of pepper, and mix everything together. Add the barley and 5 cups of water. Bring the chili to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and cook, simmering, for 40 minutes. Remove the chicken from the stew to a plate and leave for about 15 minutes, until cool enough to handle. Using two forks, pull all the meat off the bones and shred it. Add the green chiles and white beans to the stew and return the shredded chicken, discarding the bones and skin. Stir together and cook, uncovered, for another 10 minutes. Squeeze in the lime juice and taste for salt, adding more as needed.
  2. Top with yogurt, lime, cilantro, avocado.
Recipe by Big Girls Small Kitchen at http://www.biggirlssmallkitchen.com/2013/01/healthy-chicken-chili-with-barley.html