Colorado Green Chili (Alpha-Gal Safe)
A rich, smoky green chili built around chicken thighs instead of pork — all the depth of the classic without any mammalian meat. Serve over oven-baked burritos or alongside beans and rice.
🍽 6 servings⏱ Prep: 15 minutes🔥 Cook: 1 hour 15 minutes
⚠ Ingredient Safety Notes
- •Original recipe called for pork stew meat — replaced here with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Publix Hatch Chili Marinated Chicken Thighs (RIO-PCI-620756) add built-in flavor.
- •Chicken broth: some brands contain carrageenan as a stabilizer. Read the label and choose a carrageenan-free variety (e.g. Swanson Natural Goodness, Pacific Foods Organic).
- •Tomatillo salsa: check label for lard-based thickeners or hidden pork-derived ingredients.
- •Seasoning blends on marinated chicken: confirm no mammalian-derived flavor enhancers (MSG from animal sources is rare but check).
- •If also dairy-sensitive, verify the chicken broth does not list 'natural flavors' sourced from dairy.
Ingredients
- •1 tablespoon olive oil
- •1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces (Publix Hatch Chili Marinated Chicken Thighs work great)
- •Salt and pepper to taste
- •1 large yellow onion, diced
- •4 cloves garlic, minced
- •5 cups chicken broth (carrageenan-free)
- •2 cups chopped, roasted green chiles (or frozen diced chiles)
- •1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
- •1 ½ cups tomatillo salsa
- •½ teaspoon dried oregano
- •1 pinch ground cloves
Instructions
- 1.Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then cook in the hot oil until golden brown on all sides, about 7 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.
- 2.Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and garlic to the pot. Cook, stirring, until onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes.
- 3.Return chicken to the pot. Stir in chicken broth, green chiles, diced tomatoes with juice, and tomatillo salsa. Season with oregano and ground cloves. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- 4.Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- 5.Transfer 2 cups of the liquid (without chicken pieces) to a blender. Hold the lid firmly with a folded kitchen towel. Pulse a few times before blending until smooth. Pour back into the pot — this thickens the chili and smooths out the chile chunks.
- 6.Continue to simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until chicken is very tender and flavors are melded, at least 35 more minutes. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve over baked burritos or with beans and rice.
Recipes are provided for educational and informational purposes only. Alpha-gal sensitivity varies by individual — what is safe for one person may not be safe for another. Always read ingredient labels and consult your allergist or physician before trying new ingredients or recipes.