Three Sisters Stew

“This is a variation on a recipe I found in a cookbook I got in Wyoming when the family traveled out to Idaho for my brother’s wedding. It originally called for pork, but I prefer chicken and prepared it according to my Chicken Kabob recipe. While the recipe refers to it as a stew, it feels much more like a chili. It would go great with cornbread.” – April Ferre

“The native nomadic peoples of the Great Plains were known as the Plains Indians. Three staples of the Plains Indians’ diet included corn, beans and squash; for many Indian people, this trinity was called the ‘Three Sisters’.” – Pamela Sinclair

Three Sisters Stew

Course: Chili

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 1/2 Pounds Boneless, Skinless Chicken Cubed
  • Salt
  • Lemon Pepper
  • Garlic Powder
  • Onion Powder
  • Dried Mustard
  • Curry Powder
  • 1 Cup Onion Chopped
  • 2 to 3 Cloves Garlic Minced
  • 4 Cups Chicken Stock
  • 1 Cup Butternut Squash Cubed
  • 1 14.5-Ounce Can Pinto Beans
  • 1 14.5-Ounce Can Black Beans
  • 1 14.5-Ounce Can Diced Tomatoes with Garlic
  • 1 14.5-Ounce Can Creamed Corn
  • 1 4-Ounce Can Diced Green Chiles
  • 1/2 Green Bell Pepper Chopped
  • 1/2 Cup Cilantro Chopped
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add chicken and season with salt, lemon pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried mustard, and curry powder. Cook until lightly browned. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
  • Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Return meat to Dutch oven and add chicken stock and butternut squash. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
  • Stir in beans, tomatoes, creamed corn, green chiles, and green pepper. Cook uncovered over medium heat for 35 to 40 minutes, or until thickened to desired consistency. Stir in the cilantro and cumin. Serve hot.

2018 Adapted Recipe – April Ferre – From A Taste of Wyoming by Pamela Sinclair, 2008