Southwest Chicken Stroganoff

[fifi]

Southwest Chicken Stroganoff

Serves 4 as Main Dish.

This recipe is actually the result of a mistake. I was intending to make Paprika Chicken to try out my newly arrived smoked paprika. My eyes were tearing from cutting the onions, and I was talking on the phone. While digging around in the newly arrived box of spices from Penzey’s, I grabbed the ancho chile powder instead of the smoked paprika. I didn’t notice the mistake until the chicken was already coated. I forged ahead. The sauce needed “fixing” and this is what I came up with. It is a sort of ridiculous fusion type of dish but ended up being good enough to keep and do again.

• 2 large yellow onions
  
• 8 chicken thighs, about 1 ½ pounds, skin removed
  
• Salt
  
• 1/4 c ancho chile powder
  
• 1 tsp garlic powder
  
• 1 tsp Mexican oregano
  
• 2 tsp ground cumin
  
• 1 c sour cream
  

Slice the onions into rather thin half rounds and distribute in the bottom of a heavy pot with a tight fitting lid. I use a Le Creuset French oven. The pot should be large enough to hold the chicken thighs in a single layer.

Salt the chicken and place in a plastic baggie. Add the ancho powder and toss to evenly coat the chicken. The coating should be rather heavy. Depending upon the size of the chicken pieces, you may need to add more ancho powder.

Arrange the chicken pieces on top of the onion slices. Put the lid on and put into a 250 degree F oven for about 2 hours or until the chicken is tender and succulent.

Remove the chicken and reserve. Depending upon the onions, you may want to put the pot on the cook top and cook down the liquid. Onions vary a lot as to water content. Add the garlic, oregano and cumin. Transfer the onions and liquid to a blender or use a stick blender to puree into a smooth sauce. Add the sour cream and blend in. Break the chicken into large chunks and return to the sauce. Adjust seasoning if needed. Heat it gently on the stove top, do not boil.

Serve over egg noodles or rice. I like noodles best.

Note: Consider adding other chile powders to the ancho to vary the heat and flavor. Anchos are very mild and don’t really lend much heat to the dish. You can substitute chicken breast for the thighs. Just be careful not to over cook. Skinless chicken is much preferred for this recipe, as for the Paprika Chicken, so that the flavor permeates the meat. I don’t like the texture of braised chicken skin anyway.

Like the Paprika Chicken, this can be done in a crock pot.

The tale of the mistake is here.

Keywords: Easy, Main Dish, Immersion Blender, Chicken, Dinner, Blender

( RG1632 )