Americas Test Kitchen Chili Recipes

AMERICA'S FAVORITE CHILI

Steps:

• Heat a large pot over medium heat and add oil. Add beef and sprinkle with baking powder. Brown beef, stirring to break up into smaller chunks, until no longer pink, 5 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove beef to a bowl.
• Add onions to pot and turn heat down to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in chile powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne and oregano and cook for another 2 minutes to bloom. Add garlic and saute for 30 more seconds. Add beef stock, demi-glace, tomatoes and beans. Add beef back in along with any reserved juices and simmer, partially covered and stirring frequently, for 2 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Garnish with scallions, cilantro, sour cream, pickled jalapenos and aged Cheddar.

OUR FAVORITE CHILI(ATK)

Steps:

• Beans: Combine 3 tablespoons salt, 4 quarts water, and beans in large Dutch oven and bring to boil over high heat. Remove pot from heat, cover, and let stand 1 hour. Drain and rinse well.
• Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees.
• Chili paste: Place ancho chiles in 12-inch skillet set over medium-high heat; toast, stirring frequently, until flesh is fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes, reducing heat if chiles begin to smoke. Transfer to bowl of food processor and cool. Do not wash out skillet. Add árbol chiles, cornmeal, oregano, cumin, cocoa, and ½ teaspoon salt to food processor with toasted ancho chiles; process until finely ground, about 2 minutes. With processor running, very slowly add ½ cup broth until smooth paste forms, about 45 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Transfer paste to small bowl.
• Chili: Place onions in now-empty(uncleaned) processor bowl and pulse until roughly chopped, about four 1-second pulses. Add jalapenos and pulse until consistency of chunky salsa, about four 1-second pulses, scraping down bowl as necessary.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until moisture has evaporated and vegetables are softened, 7 to 9 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chili paste, tomatoes, and molasses; stir until chili paste is thoroughly combined. Add remaining 2 cups broth and drained beans; bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Pat beef dry with paper towels and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Add half of beef and cook until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer meat to Dutch oven. Add ½ bottle lager to skillet, scraping bottom of pan to loosen any browned bits, and bring to simmer. Transfer lager to Dutch oven. Repeat with remaining tablespoon oil, steak, and lager. Once last addition of lager has been added to Dutch oven, stir to combine and return mixture to simmer.
• Cover pot and transfer to oven. Cook until meat and beans are fully tender, 1½ to 2 hours. Let chili stand, uncovered, 10 minutes. Stir well and season to taste with salt before serving.

AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

Steps:

• 1. Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook without moving until skin is golden brown, about 4 minutes. Using tongs, turn chicken and lightly brown on other side, about 2 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate; remove and discard skin.
• 2. While chicken is browning, remove and discard ribs and seeds from 2 jalapeños; mince flesh. In food processor, process half of poblano chiles, Anaheim chiles, and onions until consistency of chunky salsa, ten to twelve 1-second pulses, scraping down sides of workbowl halfway through. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Repeat with remaining poblano chiles, Anaheim chiles, and onions; combine with first batch (do not wash food processor blade or workbowl).
• 3. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from Dutch oven (adding additional vegetable oil if necessary) and reduce heat to medium. Add minced jalapeños, chile-onion mixture, garlic, cumin, coriander, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat.
• 4. Transfer 1 cup cooked vegetable mixture to now-empty food processor workbowl. Add 1 cup beans and 1 cup broth and process until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add vegetable-bean mixture, remaining 2 cups broth, and chicken breasts to Dutch oven and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until chicken registers 160 degrees (175 degrees if using thighs) on instant-read thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes (40 minutes if using thighs).
• 5. Using tongs, transfer chicken to large plate. Stir in remaining beans and continue to simmer, uncovered, until beans are heated through and chili has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.
• 6. Mince remaining jalapeño, reserving and mincing ribs and seeds (see note above), and set aside. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken into bite-sized pieces, discarding bones. Stir shredded chicken, lime juice, cilantro, scallions, and remaining minced jalapeño (with seeds if desired) into chili and return to simmer. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper and serve.

AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

Steps:

• Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking.
• Add chicken, skin side down, and cook without moving until skin is golden brown, about 4 minutes. Using thongs, turn chicken and brown lightly on other side, about 2 minutes.
• While chicken is browning, remove and discard ribs and seeds for 2 jalapenos and mince flesh.
• In food processor, process half of poblano chilies, Anaheim chilies, and onions until consistency of chunky salsa, ten to twelve 1-second pulses, scraping down sides of workbowl halfway through.
• Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Repeat with remaining poblano chilies, Anaheim chilies, and onions and combine with first batch (do not wash food processor blade or workbowl).
• Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from Dutch oven (adding additional vegetable oil if necessary) and reduce heat to medium.
• Add minced poblanos, chili-onion mixture, garlic, cumin, coriander, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables soften, about 10 minutes.
• Remove pot from heat.
• Transfer 1 cup cooked vegetable mixture to now-empty food processor workbowl.
• Add 1 cup beans and 1 cup broth and process until smooth, about 20 seconds.
• Add vegetable-bean mixture, remaining 2 cups broth, and chicken breasts to Dutch oven and bring to boil over medium-high heat.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until chicken registers 160 degrees (175 degrees if substituting thighs) on instant-read thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Using tongs, transfer chicken to large plate.
• Stir in remaining beans and continue to simmer, uncovered, until beans are heated through and chili has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.
• Mince remaining jalapeno, reserving and mincing ribs and seeds and set aside.
• When cool enough to handle, shred chicken into bite-sized pieces, discarding bones.
• Stir shredded chicken, lime juice, cilantro, scallions, and remaining minced jalapeno (with seeds if desired) into chili and return to simmer.
• Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to serve.

SIMPLE BEEF CHILI FROM AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN

Steps:

• 1. Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed nonreactive Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking, 3 to 4 minutes. Add onions, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, pepper flakes, oregano, and cayenne; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add half the beef; cook, breaking up pieces with wooden spoon, until no longer pink and just beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add remaining beef and cook, breaking up pieces with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 4 minutes. 2. Add beans, tomatoes, tomato puree, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Remove cover and continue to simmer 1 hour longer, stirring occasionally (if chili begins to stick to bottom of pot, stir in 1/2 cup water and continue to simmer), until beef is tender and chili is dark, rich, and slightly thickened. Adjust seasoning with additional salt. Serve with lime wedges and condiments if desired. Slow Cooker Option: At the end of step 1, transfer the cooked beef mixture to a slow cooker; add the rest of the ingredients as directed in step 2. Cook the chili on the high setting for four hours.