Green Chile and Chicken Doughnuts

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Yep, I went there.

Ever since I started telling people that I was going to write a cookbook on doughnuts, I’ve gotten questions about whether it was going to include any savory recipes. Like me, many of you out there love your doughnuts, but also tend to crave salty over sweet. I’ve been promising some savory doughnut recipes ever since, and I must say, I wish I had gotten around to it much, much sooner.

Since I basically started my whole doughnut obsession around Cinco de Mayo with margarita doughnuts, what better way to jump into savory doughnuts than this: green chile and chicken doughnuts! Oh, sure, it’s more of a New Mexican flavor combination than a true Mexican one, but then again, it seems that it is the US that has turned the 5th of May into a new reason to party. And really, can you ever go wrong with green chile?

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You can do these doughnuts a couple of ways. If you want easy, just make raised doughnuts as usual (either with  one of the recipes in Doughnuts or one of the ones on the site), but use 1/2 of the sugar and twice the salt. I subbed in 25% whole wheat flour in these, and loved it. Cut them out as doughnuts (they’ll just fry easier that way!) And then, load up a couple with warmed up green chile with shredded chicken, a little diced onion, maybe some cilantro, definitely a fried egg, a sprinkle of cojita, and a good dollop of sour cream. Oh my. Breakfast fit for a Donut King.


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Or, you can get fancy. And by fancy I mean stuffed. Roll out your dough a bit thinner than normal and cut out rounds (without holes), and then place a bit of the shredded chicken, green chile, cojita, onion and whatever else you like in the center. Be careful not to overfill though… you want it to be less than 2 tablespoons all in. Then, top with another round, and crimp closed (I use the same cutter, which trims off any extra and pinches the edges together well). Proof, fry and you have what I will call with no shame an Empanut. Sort of like a doughnut, sort of like an empanada, all kinds of delicious. You could, of course, then proceed as above and smother in more green chile and cojita. Or, you can simply take a bite.

Or, if you really want to get crazy… cut out a ton of holes, fry them up, and use them in place of the chips in your favorite chilaqueles recipe.

Oh savory doughnuts… what in the world took me so long!

Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone!

21 thoughts on “Green Chile and Chicken Doughnuts

  1. I lived in NM for awhile. I miss green chile and buying it freshly roasted from a stand on the side of the road. I bet your recipe is scrumptious.

  2. Love the idea of savory anything! Hoping you’ll include South Indian vadas in your cookbook. They’re savory, slightly crisp on the outside when just fried and soft inside, perfect to dip in a simple coconut/cilantro chutney.

  3. Green Chile and Chicken Doughnuts??? I had to read this many time to believe it!Now that’s a weird combination, tel me Lara where did you find these creative recipe? Now if you wanted weird recipes I can tell you I love to eat rice with mayo, mmm mmm!!! yummy but that not a Doughnut lol.
    Going to post this recipe in my website, If you ever need any diet recipes your more than welcome visit.

  4. As a San Francisco foodie, gourmet donuts are almost a must. The green chili & chicken donuts look very tasty and original. Have you tried to cool off the spice with a delicious white wine?

    The 2009 Reserve Sauvignon Blanc from Three Hoots is as good as it gets. The grapes are organically grown, resulting in balanced notes of Anjou pear, white peach and citrus. To receive discounts and cool information about sustainable wine making, check out http://www.threehoots.com and join the Owls Club.

    Good luck on all things donuts!!!

    Chef Grant
    http://www.threehoots.com

  5. Wow, they look stunning! Next it will be… sweet chilli yum yums..? or is that an english thing?

  6. I’m so behind on my blog reading…but I wanna give you a big hug and a huge margarita for making the distinction between “New Mexican” food/flavor vs “Mexican.”
    I’m from Las Cruces, about 20 minutes south of Hatch and there is nothing like the smell of roasting chile in the fall.
    And now I’m ready to skip summer and get straight to green chile season.

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