Chicken Stew with Coriander, Cilantro, and Chard

Ingredients

• 10 cardamom pods
• 10 black peppercorns
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 red onion
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 whole 4 lb chicken, cut into parts
• 9 cups water
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 6-8 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbsp ground coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 4 cups roughly chopped cilantro, including tender stems, loosely packed
• 4-5 cups broth
• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 pounds chard, ribs removed, leaves cut crosswise into 1 inch strips
• Salt

Directions

1. If you’re working with cardamom pods, split them using a mortar and pestle, or press them with the handle end of a chef’s knife. Give the black peppercorns a rough crush too.
2. In a large pot, combine the cardamom, black peppercorns, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, onion, lemon, and chicken.
3. Pour in 9 cups water and bring the pot up to a boil. Reduce the heat so the liquid gently simmers, and spoon away any foamy bits that rise to the top.
4. After about 20 minutes, lift out the chicken breast pieces and put them aside.
5. When the broth has simmered for 45 minutes to 1 hour, with no need to be fussy about the exact moment, take the pot off the heat. Pull out the chicken legs and thighs.
6. Pass the broth through a fine-meshed strainer, then measure out and keep 4-5 cups. Stir in the salt, taste the broth, and season with more salt if it needs it. Keep the extra broth for another recipe; it freezes well.
7. Pull the skin from the chicken pieces and discard it. Take all the good meat off the bones, shred it with your hands, and set it aside. Throw away the bones.
8. Warm 2 Tbsp of the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic, ground coriander, salt, and white pepper, then stir everything into a paste. Let it cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant.
9. Add half the cilantro and stir until it wilts into the paste.
10. Pour in the broth; 4 cups gives you a thicker stew, while 5 cups leaves it a bit brothier. Bring it to a simmer and let it cook for 15-20 minutes.
11. As the broth simmers, combine the vinegar, lemon juice, and red onion in a bowl. Leave it to the side.
12. Add the chard leaves by handfuls, waiting for each addition to wilt before adding the next. Stir in the shredded chicken and let the stew cook for 8-10 minutes.
13. During that last simmer, melt the remaining 1 Tbsp of butter in a small pan over medium-high heat. Add the rest of the cilantro, wilt it in the butter, and cook it for 1-2 minutes.
14. To finish, stir the buttery cilantro and onion mixture into the stew. Mix thoroughly, then taste and add salt as needed.
15. Bring it to the table with bread, rice, or potatoes.