I didn’t use the avocados, but they’re attention hogs and wanted in the photo.
I’ve used my Instant Pot electric pressure cooker more times since it arrived after Black Friday than any other kitchen appliance I own, save my crock pot and rice cooker. And since my Instant Pot can both slow cook and steam rice, those two appliances are on their way to storage!
I’ve found that my IP is a savior when it comes to making chicken broth, as it drastically reduces the cooking time. I use a good deal of broth for various recipes, and the act of slow simmering chicken bones, cartilage, skin and meat with herbs and vegetable trimmings for a very long time is something I normally plan for, free up a weekend day in order to accomplish. Now I have stock in less than an hour, and can freeze it for later use.
I’ve played around with recipes I found online, and have come to the conclusion that some are best left to long cooking on the stove top (I’m looking at you, French Onion Soup). Some recipes are perfect for pressure cooking, though, and pot roast is one, or simply boiling eggs if making a lot for egg salad or deviled eggs, or if you’re Paleo and eat a lot of them. Baked sweet potatoes take 10 minutes, less time than microwaving large ones. Fresh Southern-style green beans with onion, garlic and bacon or ham always take longer to cook than expected, unless you use a pressure cooker, and are happily eating them in 20 minutes or so. One recipe I found was so good that it’s already become a regular on my list of weeknight suppers. Thank you, Serious Eats and J. Kenji López-Alt, for the absolutely perfect recipe for Green Chile with Chicken.
So delicious!
This recipe is perfect as written, which is the unicorn of recipes. I rarely, if ever use a recipe that I don’t tweak in some way. Not this one. Nuh uh. Nope. The only concession I’ll make is that if you don’t want to go to the trouble of roasting whole cumin seeds and then grinding them, then don’t. Use fresh pre-ground, and be happy about it because it will be just fine. This is the only recipe for an electric pressure cooker that I’ve found so far that doesn’t call for adding liquid, as the veggies and chicken make their own as they heat. It takes about 10 minutes to make enough liquid and heat up enough to come to pressure, and then the chicken cooks for 15 minutes. Last night I did a manual dec-pressuring instead of letting the pot naturally de-pressurize, so I could cool the chicken while blending the soup to a smooth texture. Shred the chicken, throw it back in and call everyone to the table!
Because my second grade son is obviously a changeling, and too picky to eat this dinner, my husband and I enjoy a generous bowlful with a bit of sour cream, thinly sliced fresh jalapeno peppers, and a sprinkle of cilantro. The chicken chile verde enchiladas we make with the leftovers are almost more delectable than the stew, with monterey jack and white american cheese adding a lush richness and Tex Mex flavor. Try this recipe, Instant Pot friends. It’s a winner. What’s your favorite pressure cooker recipe?
