Hatch Chile Week - Day Three: Hatch Chicken Stew

Hatch, New Mexico is located 37 miles north of Las Cruces via I-25. The northern most incorporated community in Doña Ana County, the Village of Hatch is home to some 1,673 residents, many of whom work in the fertile fields of the surrounding Hatch Valley. The area produces the world famous Hatch Chile and is home to the annual Hatch Chile Festival, which draws thousands to the village. Hatch is located just west of the banks of the Rio Grande. So one of those oh-so southern traditions to me is having a 'queen' of a festival...is there a Hatch Queen? If so, where do I sign up?

Enough of that, for today's Hatch Special I'm serving up a hearty, tasty Hatch Chicken Stew. I know it is a thousand degrees where I am but I still love a good hot soup sometimes, plus it's sort of fall...mind over matter, if I wish it to get cool, eat like it's cool, dress like...wait, what am I saying, I'm not wearing a sweater in 100 degree heat! You get the picture though, this is a tasty stew well worth eating year round.

Hatch Chicken Stew

2 Whole Cloves Garlic
Rib Meat and Bones from 3 Split Chicken Breasts
1/4 White Onion
1/4 Red Onion
1 Tbsp Ground Cumin
3 Qt Water
1 Cup Carrot
1 Tbsp Black Pepper
1 Tbsp Chile Powder
4 Ribs Celery
4 Chopped Tomatoes
2 Cloves Crushed, Minced Garlic
3 Chopped, Seeded, Roasted and Rinsed Hatch Chiles
1 Qt Chicken Stock (see recipe below)
1 Tbsp Chile Powder
1 Lb Chopped Yukon Gold Potatoes
1 Tbsp Salt
1 Tbsp Ground Cumin
1 Tbs Flour
1 Tbs Olive Oil
1/2 Qt Chicken Broth
3 Chopped Chicken Breasts

1. In a large stock pot, bring first ten (through Celery) ingredients to a boil, allow them to simmer two hours.
2. Remove stock from heat, strain and set 2 quarts of it aside for use in the stew. Freeze additional quart for future use.
3. Heat stock pot with olive oil over medium heat. Dredge cubed chicken in flour. Place dredged chicken in stock pot, once all sides are cooked, add liquids (chicken stock and broth) to pot.
4. Add cumin, salt, chile powder, tomato, potato, garlic and hatch chilis to pot.
5. Bring to boil, allow to simmer (covered) for 4 hours. Stir occasionally.

I didn't have the energy to make cornbread the night this was served so we ate it with a crusty demi-baguette, but this would be delicious with cornbread!