Slow-Cooked Tex-Mex Chicken and Beans

Not sure if you remember, but way back in October I mentioned this recipe that I wanted to share with you, but it wasn’t quite post-worthy at that time.  Well, wait no more, Slow-Cooked Tex-Mex Chicken and Beans is ready.  Sort of.  Here’s the story….

I found this recipe in my Martha Stewart Everyday Food magazine a while back…chicken, pinto beans, salsa, chipotle peppers in adobo… I just love these flavors.  So with great anticipation, I made some up.  The problem was that it turned out incredible!!  It was perfect.  Why is that a problem, you ask?  Well, it was a problem because I didn’t follow the recipe.  I didn’t trust it.  I do that way too often, actually.

So this is a chicken and bean thing that is cooked for 8 hours in a crock pot or slow-cooker.  I do have one of those, but I just don’t like using it.  Can you see how I make life unbearably difficult for myself sometimes?  I really wanted to make this in my heavy cast-iron Le Crueset pot on the stove.  The other thing about this recipe is that it asks you to start with dried pinto beans.

I just wasn’t a believer.  I couldn’t imagine dried pinto beans cooking completely on low heat even for 8 hours.  So the first time through, I chickened out and made it with canned pinto beans.  It was so absolutely delicious, but I felt guilty that I hadn’t tried it their way.  Maybe those beans would cook just fine on low, and be even better than the canned, so I tried it again, and darn if after 8 hours those beans weren’t still hard as little, well, dried beans.  But maybe I didn’t have enough heat under my pot, so I made it again with a little more heat.  The beans almost cooked, but the last 3 hours I had to really crank up the heat to get them done.  They were still a little toothsome, and the flavors weren’t nearly as good as when I had used the canned beans.

So what can I say?  You could try this in your crock pot on low for 8 hours and see if the beans cook through, or you can use canned pinto beans and just enjoy the heck out of this stuff.  The flavors are so good that I’ve decided to not feel guilty about it anymore.

I made this with homemade corn tortillas and Mexican rice.  A slice or two of avocado would be perfect on top.  Hope you’ll give this a try – and I would love it if someone out there used their crockpot (mine is old and unreliable) and tried this with the dried beans.  I’d love to hear how it comes out.  The file is definitely not closed on this one!

Slow-Cooked Tex-Mex Chicken and Beans
Printable Recipe

Serves 4

1 cup dried pinto beans, rinsed *(see below for alternate recipe)
1 jar (11 ounces) mild or medium red salsa (1 ½ cups)
1 tablespoon chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 tablespoons flour*
1 cup water*
1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped

*If using canned beans:
          3 cans of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
          1T flour
          ½ cup water

For serving:
1/2 cup sour cream
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
sliced avocado

In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, stir together beans, salsa, chiles, flour and 1 cup water (see alternate instructions if using canned beans).  Season chicken with salt and pepper, arrange on top of bean mixture.  Scatter onion and bell pepper on top of chicken.

Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours.  (Do not open lid or stir).

Remove chicken from stew, shred into large pieces and return to stew.  Keep warm until ready to serve.  Top each serving with sour cream, chopped cilantro and sliced avocado.  Serve with warm tortillas and Mexican rice.

Update on Wednesday, January 13, 2010 at 7:35PM by Patrice Berry

Just a follow-up for those who got out their crock-pots and made this stellar chicken and bean recipe.  Depending on how many you were feeding, there's a very good chance that you have leftovers, and I'm here to help you with those.

My very favorite thing to do with the leftovers is to pair it with rice for a whole other meal.  We've all learned by now that rice and beans eaten together create a complete protein and are very good for you. 

I like to make up a batch of rice in which I combine jasmine and long-grained white rice and then spoon some of the reheated slow-cooked chicken and beans over the top of the rice.  I will usually top this with a little grated jack cheese and chopped cilantro.  You can serve it with tortillas or tortilla chips.  Brilliant!

Update on Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 10:37AM by Patrice Berry

Just thought I would note that I made this in the oven the last time and it turned out great.  Still haven't heard if anyone has used a slow cooker or crockpot with dried beans, but I think I'll give that a shot next time.  So, on top of the stove, in the oven, however you make this, it's just awesome stuff!

Comments

[lisaiscooking]

Sounds familiar. I lack trust in recipes all the time! This sounds like a delicious meal. I love all these flavors together.

[Nichole]

I have never ever had good luck with dried beans in a crock pot. And I've tried them all at one time or another thinking I'd get different (i.e. edible) results.

Here's my 100% fool-proof method for cooking dried beans, no soaking necessary: Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees F. Put the rinsed, dried beans into a dutch-oven and cover with enough water so that there is water about 1 - 1 1/2-inches above the beans. Add a generous amount of kosher salt. Bring beans to a full boil. Cover the pot and place in the oven for 90 minutes. PERFECT beans every time (pinto, black, garbanzo, black-eye peas, great northern, kidney ... etc.). It was recommended to check the beans about half-way through to ensure there was enough water (if not add boiling water); but I've never had to add any additional water.

I'm marking this one! It looks great. We eat a bean dish of some type at least once a week. Or maybe it's more truthful to say there is always a bean dish of some kind in the fridge to cover any odd-hour hunger pains or for a quick meal anytime of the day.

Love your blog! Great recipes, pictures and stories. =)

[Patrice Berry]

Thanks for that tip, Nchole! I will definitely be trying that as we love beans too. I think you'll like this recipe - hope you give it a try!

[ann brumby]

Great recipe! I use dried beans but I soak them overnight prior to putting them in the slow cooker and they come out perfectly. I did make rice to go along with the chicken as I thought otherwise it was a bit "soupy" The next day we made burritos along with the rice and all the fixings and we thought that vehicle was the best way to enjoy this dish.
I'm making it again today!

[Tracee]

Misplaced Texan now living above the Mason-Dixon Line...I always presoak my pintos with 1/2 cup of baking soda for at least 12 hours. Not only will it help them cook faster, but it takes the toot effect away! I usually cook beans and sausage and I've noticed that when there isn't much fat, the beans don't cook as quick.

You can do the quick boil and rest, drain, then cook method, but that won't take away the toot effect!

[Patrice Berry]

Thanks, Tracee. Great info! Nice to hear from you!