White Chicken Chili with Datil peppers

Recipe Courtesy of Elizabeth Dougherty

Datil peppers arrived in Florida around 1777 when the Minorcans arrived in St. Augustine. While the pepper is related to other members of the capsicum family, it is very unique in flavor. It is as hot as a Habanero but also has a fruity quality. I've never tasted another pepper like it. They are very hard to obtain, but you can buy seeds for them. They are now almost exclusively grown in Florida in the St. Augustine area.

Ingredients

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
sea salt
3 TB Canola or vegetable oil
1 large onion
3 TB flour
7.75 oz can green salsa
(3) 15.5 oz cans white beans
1 tsp garlic
1 bay leaf
4 slices pickled jalapeno
(2) 1 1/2" Datils or 1 large
36 oz of chicken stock
sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped onion and/or minced parsley or cilantro for garnishes

 

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil a sheet pan and place chicken breasts on it. Season with sea salt. Bake for 25 minutes or until just cooked through. In a Dutch oven or large pot, add oil. Heat to medium heat. Dice onion into 1/4" dice and add to pot. Saute until translucent. Add flour. Stir with a wooden spoon for about 1 minute. Add salsa. Rinse beans in a colander and add. Add garlic and bay leaf. Finely chop jalapeno and Datils. Add to pot and cover with the chicken stock. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Dice cooked chicken and add, re-heating the chicken in the pot for 2-3 minutes. Serve with the suggested garnishes to your preference.