(Here's the Smitten Kitchen post)
You'll need:
(A note--I intended to do 1 1/2 times the recipe, because I knew I needed more than one batch, but I still wanted it to fit in my crock pot. But I had issues--see below. But that's why there are multiple things pictured here)
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken (Deb and I both used a combination of breasts and thighs)
1 onion, chopped small
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons salt
1-2 jalapenos (or other pepper of your choice, or just chili powder to taste)
1 28-ounce can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes (or two cans of rotel)
2 2/3 cups dry beans (I used a combination of black and pinto, which I really liked. Check out Deb's post for notes on beans, particularly if you use kidney)
5 1/3 cups water or broth, or a combination (I had turkey stock left from Thanksgiving, so I used that for the whole amount)
You guys, this recipe should have been the easiest thing in the world, but I was a hot mess. Follow along if you want to be a part of my little adventure. :)
Chop your onion and jalapeno. Forget the garlic until everything else is in the pot, and then mince that and add it.
Put your cans of tomatoes in your crock pot. Realize very quickly that you intended to 1.5x this recipe, and you have accidentally added MORE than twice the tomatoes called for. Maybe swear.
Chop up your chicken breasts. Later you'll realize that you need to add more chicken since you're now doubling the recipe, so go ahead and pull some chicken thighs out of your freezer so they can start to thaw.
Add everything to the pot and pray it fits. Swear when it doesn't. (This isn't even everything)
Pour into a bigger pot and breathe a sigh of relief. Add the rest of your broth, chicken, and anything else that needs to be increased to make this a true double batch. Then put this pot in your fridge because it's 8am and the stovetop directions don't take 10 hours.
Begin cooking at 2:00. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 2.5-3 hours, stirring occasionally. Toward the end, remove the chicken pieces, shred, and return to the pot. I found that the thighs were easier to shred right in the pot--just smush them right against the side. The breasts were less willing to let go. I did add a bit of chili powder toward the end as well.
Serve with whatever you want--cheese, sour cream, cilantro, green onions, and of course fritos.
For as crazy as this recipe ended up being, it was SO worth it. Everyone (we served it to our Tuesday night crew) loved it. This will definitely be a new go-to! It wasn't super spicy--I may add some cayenne next time, or just leave in some of the jalapeno seeds when I chop them. And for a single recipe, it would be a piece of cake--just throw it all in the crock pot and turn it on! Note, Deb does have instructions for stovetop, crock pot, and instant pot, so check out her post.
Enjoy! Perfect recipe for the winter!
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