I recently caught up with Elway to dive into their newest release, Nobody’s Going to Heaven, and found myself unexpectedly struck before I even hit play. The album art pulled me in — irreverent, bold, self-aware — and the title itself lands like a statement for the times. In a world where politics and social climate feel constantly volatile, Elway’s energy is unfiltered in a way that feels strangely comforting. It isn’t bleakness for the sake of bleakness; it’s truth-telling. It’s realism with a pulse. Inspired by the band’s love for all things hatch green chile, I created this recipe for Hatch Green Chile Burritos. You can find the recipe details below!
Listening to “Down The Lane and Far Away,” I felt like I was transported back to being a teenager in the 90s — those gritty lyric videos, that unvarnished honesty, that feeling that music could be both protest and mirror. Their visuals echo that era, while the songwriting dives headfirst into the emotional and political contradictions of today. The whole experience made me think: This is music that isn’t afraid to name what’s actually happening. Behind the punchy, upbeat sound, there’s a message that hits close to home: Nobody’s going to heaven — so make the most of the time you have, and be mindful of what you’re putting into the world. It’s an album that speaks to the collective fatigue and quiet rage of living through the last several years. And honestly, it felt like they were speaking directly to me.
Elway’s story began long before this seventh album. Tim Browne, one of the band’s core members, started in a wonderfully trashy high school punk band called The Commies. His bandmate back then, Brian Van Proyen, would eventually join him in Elway. The two moved to Fort Collins, Colorado, for college, where they met the rest of the band while working in the dorm dining hall, serving “student slop.” House shows, dive bars, endless nights, and steady local support became the band’s foundation. Their first official band practice was September 21, 2007 — meaning Elway has now been together 18 years, a near-miracle in punk longevity.
Musically, they were shaped by: The Lawrence Arms, Alkaline Trio, Dillinger Four, Jawbreaker, Refused, and Propagandhi. Even if, as Tim jokes, they could never quite pull off thrash because they were simply “too drunk.” People could call Elway’s latest album “anti-American,” but the music isn’t anti-anything; it’s simply honest. Critical. Realistic in a world determined to avoid realism. Their lyrics feel deeply considered — more intellectual punk than anything else. Tim told me he spent years avoiding political songwriting because so much of it collapses into cliché. He didn’t want slogans. He didn’t want protest-sign language. He wanted depth. But the last several years — the doomscrolling, the constant “damage report,” the surreal experience of watching global crises unfold in real time changed something. For this album, he wanted to write about political reality in a way that was thoughtful, eloquent, and emotionally grounded. And he succeeded. The album feels almost therapeutic, not because it comforts but because it articulates emotions so many people hold quietly.
Tim said something that stuck with me:
“Maybe it’s time to take stock of our own culpability, stay grounded, and resist however we can.”
Elway’s new album has already made waves. Nobody’s Going to Heaven, out now on Red Scare Industries, marks the band’s most ambitious and politically powerful release yet. Mixed and mastered at the legendary Blasting Room, it’s bursting with melody, urgency, and razor-sharp scrutiny. The band calls the album both a dispatch from within a crumbling empire and a prayer for a better, post-American world. The album is, in many ways, a coping mechanism masquerading as a punk record — and an unexpectedly beautiful one. Be sure to download Nobody’s Going to Heaven available on all streaming platforms.
Elway Linktree
When it comes to food, Tim is a pescatarian, and the rest of the band eats meat, though Elway tends to eat vegetarian on the road. Their Colorado roots shine through in their love of New Mexican–influenced cuisine, especially anything involving hatch green chile. Tim believes every burrito in Colorado is incomplete without hatch chile sauce — it’s basically in their DNA. One of his all-time favorites is from Horseman’s Haven in Santa Fe, which he swears makes the best hatch green chile burrito of his life.
Daily life is more noodle-forward. Asian soups, Tom Yum–inspired broths, shrimp, bok choy, broccolini, hand-pulled noodles, Pad Thai, lox bagels, and a conveniently close tortería for grab-and-go breakfast burritos. On tour, the band lives off Costco clementines — affectionately called “chili dogs.” And once, when their van’s wheel fell off in Dateland (aka “Dan”), Arizona, they discovered a soft-serve vanilla ice cream blended with pureed dates that transformed a terrible day into a memorable one. As a Persian who literally starts my mornings with dates and cardamom tea, this made me laugh in recognition. Tim admitted he goes through a Costco bag of dried dates in four days. Been there.
After absorbing the emotional weight of Nobody’s Going to Heaven, hearing Tim’s food memories, and reconnecting with New Mexican flavors, I knew exactly what recipe this feature needed: A Hatch Green Chile Burrito. Made the proper way. Made the Elway way. Roasted hatch chiles, a scratch-made hatch salsa, chicken thighs (never breast, thighs shred better and taste richer), two kinds of melty cheese, and warm flour tortillas. I’ve now made this recipe multiple times because Hubs and Kiddo keep requesting it. It’s comforting, fiery, layered, and real — a culinary reflection of the album’s ethos. If any dish could embody Elway’s seventh album, honesty, grit, humor, introspection, and heat, it’s this burrito. Check out the recipe below!
New Mexico Hatch Green Chile Burritos
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 45 – 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Ingredients for Hatch Green Chile
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups roasted Hatch green chiles (peeled, seeded, chopped)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients for Burritos
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar blend cheese
- 8 large flour tortillas
- 1 can of pinto or black beans, warmed and seasoned for serving
- 1 cup cooked rice of your choice for serving
- Lime wedges and sour cream for serving
- Fresh chopped cilantro for garnish
Directions
- Heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent for about 5 minutes. Add garlic.
- Stir in flour and cook 1 minute to form a roux.
- Slowly whisk in chicken broth, then add Hatch chiles, cumin, oregano, sea salt, and black pepper. Simmer 20–25 minutes until thickened and aromatic. Adjust salt to taste.
- Add the chicken thighs to the simmering green chile sauce. Turn the heat to medium-low and allow the thighs to braise in the sauce for 35 minutes. Make sure to flip the thighs halfway while cooking.
- Remove the chicken thighs to a cutting board and shred the meat.
- Return the shredded chicken thighs to the green chile sauce and stir until the meat is well coated.
- Simmer for 10 minutes on low heat. Adjust salt as needed.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13 baking dish with olive oil.
- Now to assemble the burritos. Add a handful of cheese to the flour tortilla first to keep it from getting soggy. Then spoon the chile-coated meat into the center on top of the cheese. Roll tightly into burritos.
- Place burritos seam-side down in a baking dish. Cover with green chile sauce and extra cheese.
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15 minutes until the cheese melts and the sauce bubbles.
- Garnish with cilantro and lime. Serve with beans, rice, crema, or sour cream. Enjoy!
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