This Green Chile Chicken Stew is a quick and easy way to warm up this winter. The roasted green chiles give this simple stew recipe the most incredible flavor.
This may go down as my worst January in the history of ever. This Green Chile Chicken Stew is taking up permanent residence on my stove as weekly comfort food this month.
I normally look forward to new goals and a fresh start. January normally energizes me. This year, it's kicking my butt.
The new year came in with a bang. Literally. A garbage truck ran into me while I was parked at a stop sign and totaled my car. A very inauspicious beginning. And you might imagine that if a garbage truck totals your car and it was completely their fault, they would of course replace your car. That, however, is apparently not the way these things go. As it is, my insurance will reimburse me for what they have determined is the value of my car. Never mind that it is less than the amount I just paid to have the transmission replaced and it doesn't even come close to being enough to buy a reliable used van.
Yesterday, when my kids started to argue because one of them had a bigger muffin and the chorus of "It's not FAIR," started up, I started to cry right along with them. It really isn't fair.
So, the car looks like this now:
And this of course, came on top of a number of other challenges that I was already trying to use my best Pollyanna impressions on. It's been kind of a downward spiral this month. There are a lot of laundry piles like this that keep being moved from room to room but I never quite tackle them:
And this entire basket is full of socks. Socks that may or may not have pairs. Every time I look at this basket it fills me with despair, which may or may not be about the socks.
There is another side to this of course. There's the side where we all came out of this car crash okay. The side where at least we have socks to wear and laundry to do. And I keep trying to focus on that side, but I'd be lying if I said the stress and a good share of cynicism don't keep creeping in right now.
So, I'm doing the only thing I know how to do when everything feels really, really hard. I'm getting back to basics and keeping busy. Rather than think about all the hard questions that don't seem to have any answers right now, I'm focusing on what's in my hands right now. Sewing Ada's birthday quilt. Knitting Eila a new sweater. Painting the kitchen, a task long overdue. Tackling all the writing/photography/blog work that is building up. And making Green Chile Chicken Stew as often as the kids will let me.
This Green Chile Chicken Stew is comfort food at its finest. It's simple food with only a handful of ingredients, but every ingredient does its part so well. Really, the green chiles are the star of this show. I use Hatch Green Chile, because it is, without a doubt, the very best. Fresh roasted green chile is absolutely amazing in this stew. However, I really do think a can of whole roasted peeled Hatch Green Chile is a very close second. I use mild, because the kids like to eat this too, but you can go as spicy as you like.
It's not a new car, it's not even a few extra hands to tackle all the dishes and the laundry, still, this stew is going a long way towards making me feel better. A few more bowls and I'll be coming around that mountain. I normally poach the chicken while the stew cooks.
Green Chile Chicken Stew
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Fresh roasted green chile is amazing in this stew. However, a can of Hatch Green Chile's roasted whole green chiles is a very close second - you can normally just find this in the normal grocery store. If you are using fresh chiles, please taste and adjust the amount depending on how spicy you want your soup to be.
brenda says
No, life really isn't always easy and there are times that seem especially hard, but thank goodness for the comforts of good food and family. I love that you can at least see glimpses of hope through the hard times even if it only shows up as you put your hands to creating!
somethewiser@gmail.com says
Thanks for your words of comfort. I'm doing my best to stay positive 🙂
Andrea says
Oh the socks. I currently have an entire sofa (had to dump them out of the laundry basket because I needed it!) covered in socks. I've despaired of ever getting it cleared. Each morning when the older three come to "remind" me that they have no socks in their cupboards I tell them to go lucky dip in the pile in their playroom. Meanwhile I've decided the 5 month old will spend the remainder of the winter in footed sleepers because, well , he can't find his own and it depresses me too much to look through the pile!
somethewiser@gmail.com says
Ha! Glad I'm not the only one with a sock problem! I do the same thing with my kids when they don't have socks - go dig through the basket kids.
At this point, I think it really might be best to just go ahead and throw the entire basket away and start over. I'm legitimately considering this option.
Andrea says
I have considered that too. And I've decided from now on I'm not buying cute socks. No. From now on each child will get a single colour of socks in multiple pairs. Then I won't ever have to match socks again!
somethewiser@gmail.com says
Yes! Single color socks - that's going to be my new plan too. Putting it in action this weekend. 🙂
Deepika@EasyBabyMeals says
This soup looks very comforting. I have stopped buying socks for my little one now. They just tend to disappear. Just have a few fancy ones for special occasions, and guard those like a possession.
somethewiser@gmail.com says
Thanks - it really has been comforting. 🙂 And I like that you said you have to guard those socks - it's funny how many people have totally understood the sock thing. 🙂
Melanie @ Nutritious Eats says
Oh man, so sorry about your car. Thank stinks! 🙁 The laundry = my life right now. 6 people in the house and I literally feel like it's my full time job to wash and sort clothes, missing socks and all. Hope February is better for you! The stew looks delish- I have a jar of hatch green chills I picked up from Costco and need some recipes to use them in. 🙂
somethewiser@gmail.com says
Thanks Melanie! This is the perfect soup for those green chiles - I hope you like it. And every time I whine about the laundry and socks, I always find that there are so many people who totally get it - it's nice to know I'm not the only one that gets bogged down with the mundane. Thanks for commenting.
AiPing | Curious Nut says
Awwww... sorry about the car. Chin up coz that stew looks absolutely amazing and comforting! I hate it when I lose socks after doing laundry. Serious... where do they go??
somethewiser@gmail.com says
Thanks AiPing! I'm convinced there is a black hole somewhere in my house where all the socks get sucked in and disappear. There's really no other explanation! 😉
Renee says
I love this flavor variation for a stew. I'm definitely going to give this a try!
somethewiser@gmail.com says
Thanks Renee! I really hope you like it! We are die hard green chile fans around here.
Aimee @ Simple Bites says
Allison, that is just brutal. What a terrible way to start the year. Yet I am glad you are all okay. I had a car accident last fall with all the kids in the van, and yes, people helped me to see the bright side of things - we were all unharmed!
I hope things are looking up for you. This comforting stew is certainly a good place to start. xo
somethewiser@gmail.com says
I remember seeing that on facebook! I'd never been in a car accident, but I completely understand the terror now! We're seeing our way through this one and yes, always trying to return to gratitude for our safety, which in the end is of course the most important part. We're just going to start the year over next month I think - scrap January entirely.
So happy to see more posts over on Simple Bites again! Your corner of the web is my favorite place to cheer myself up. Hugs to you sweet Aimee.
sandra says
Have you talked to a lawyer abt he garbage truck?
somethewiser@gmail.com says
Well, as it turns out, lawyers are most helpful if there is an injury, and we were all just fine - thank goodness! Suing is an option, but not one I'm sure I'm inclined to pursue. We'll see. Still muddling our way through this. But thank you for your concern 🙂
Sabrina says
That soup looks great, but so sorry about your car!!
somethewiser@gmail.com says
Thanks Sabrina! I think we're going to see a light at the end of the tunnel soon 🙂