Chicken Chili with Cornbread Topping and Chipotle Crema

Emeril Lagasse

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2003

Show: Emeril LiveEpisode: One Pot Wonders

Rated 5 stars out of 5
  • Rate This Recipe
  • Read 36 Reviews
Total Time:
--
Yield:
6 servings
Level:
Easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cubed
  • Essence, recipe follows
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 cup chopped yellow onions
  • 1/2 cup chopped red bell peppers
  • 2 tablespoons minced jalapeno peppers
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 cup corn kernels
  • 1 (15-ounce) can chopped tomatoes and their juices
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • Cornbread topping, recipe follows
  • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese, for topping
  • Chopped green onions, garnish
  • Chipotle Crema, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Season the chicken with Essence on all sides.

In a large cast iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil to the pan and when hot, add the onions, bell peppers and jalapeno. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, bay leaf, salt, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the corn and cook until starting to color and pop, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices and the stock, and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring until thickened, 7 to 10 minutes. Return the chicken to the pot and cook until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the cilantro and adjust the seasoning, to taste. Spoon the cornmeal batter over the chicken mixture, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the sides.

Bake until golden brown, 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the cheese on top. Return to the oven until melted, 2 minutes. Remove from the oven.

Garnish with the chopped green onions and drizzle with the crema. Serve hot.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

Cornmeal Topping:

3/4 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 large egg

2 tablespoons bacon grease or vegetable oil

In a bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a small bowl, beat together the buttermilk, egg and bacon grease. Add to the dry ingredients and mix until just blended, being careful not to overmix. Use as a topping for the Chicken Chili.

Chipotle Crema:

1 cup half and half

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon sour cream

4 teaspoons chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, or less to taste

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a bowl, mix together the half-and-half, cream, and sour cream. Let sit at room temperature for 24 hours to develop.

In the bowl of a food processor or blender, combine the cream mixture with the peppers, adobo sauce, and salt. Process on high speed until smooth. Serve, or keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Yield: 2 cups

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Newest Ratings and Reviews

Read all 36 reviews

  • on January 05, 2011

    Flag

    Definitely a recipe that's staying in the family! Make it on a weekend. It's actually fun to prepare but I disagree with the "easy" rating. This was definitely intermediate level work. There were a lot of ingredients (which w/ a well stocked spice rack shouldn't be a problem and a lot of prepping! However, the house smelled so good while I was cooking-it was just perfect for warming up in the winter.
    After I made it I was worried that it would be too spicy for the kids. Then I would have been so upset at having spent so much time. The kids totally loved it. I have a picky 4 year old and 9 year old-they both loved it and were raving about it! That's what made it a keeper! I skipped the cornbread and crema-that would have been too much! We just added shredded cheddar and dollop of sour cream. Delicious! It's perfect comfort food for the whole family w/ a kick! Thank you Emeril :!

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  • on November 10, 2010

    Flag

    I was disappointed with this recipe. There was a lot of work involved and the results on day one were that overly spiced. I used the store bought Essence and the required cumin and maybe that was too much. The cornbread topping seemed like an afterthought. This dish was not good at all. By day two, the chipolte crema was ready so I used it on the leftovers. This was better. By this time, the cornbread had soaked up some of the juices and the spices seem to have mellowed. I don't think the crema did anything to the meal that a simple sour cream could not do. There are other recipes out there that are more worth the effort. I don't think I would make this again.

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  • on May 01, 2010

    Flag

    This recipe was great! We didn't have time to make the chipotle crema so we purchased sour cream and blended. My family loved it. It is a true winner! Can't wait to make it again.

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