- 1 4-5 pound organic chicken, rinsed
- 2 ribs celery, cut into thirds
- 2 carrots with leafy tops, cut into thirds
- 1 onion, quartered
- 2 large cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 large bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- A few stems of parsley
- Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or canola oil
- 2 mild red peppers, frying, field or bell, quartered lengthwise, then thinly sliced
- 1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- Salt and pepper
- About 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin (1/2 palmful)
- 4 chipotle peppers in adobo, seeded, then very finely chopped, plus 3 tablespoons of sauce
- 2 cups poaching liquid or chicken stock
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14 ounces)
- 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (14 ounces)
- A small handful cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 poached chicken, skin and bones removed, shredded
Place the chicken in a pot with poaching ingredients; cover with water and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to keep the liquid at a low, rolling boil and cook for 45-60 minutes. Turn off the heat and let cool to room temperature. Remove the chicken skin and bones; reserve the meat. Strain the liquid (you should have about 3 quarts). Store the leftover poaching liquid in the freezer for various uses.
Heat a large deep skillet over medium-high heat with the oil, two turns of the pan. Add the peppers, onion and garlic and season with salt, pepper and cumin. Cook, partially covered, for 7-8 minutes to soften, stirring occasionally. Add the chipotles, adobo sauce, poaching liquid, tomatoes and reserved chicken to the pan. Stir in the cilantro and simmer to thicken over medium-low heat, about 15 minutes. Serve with fixin’s of your choice and a side of black or red beans and brown rice cooked in leftover poaching liquid, according to package directions.
This is one of many “Yum-o!” recipes – it’s good and good for you. To find out more about Yum-o!, Rachael’s nonprofit organization, visit
www.yum-o.org.