Chicken Chili
My husband belongs to a Blacksmith Guild and periodically they get together at each others Forges to bust on each other oh I mean to do serious demos. I had made this Chicken Chili before, and it’s by far the best Chili I have ever had. I figured this would be a good choice for those big manly Blacksmiths, and it was. The Chicken Chili was a success. The way I made it here, it’s plenty spicy for me, but you can certainly add more red chili flakes, chipotle or the original recipe called for cayenne pepper. Enjoy.
Ingredients:
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1 1/2 large chopped yellow onions
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 chopped bell peppers (I used 3/4 orange, 3/4 yellow and 3/4 green)
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 chipotle in Adobo sauce, finely diced
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 (28 oz.) cans diced tomatoes (I recommend San Marzano tomatoes if you can find them)
1 (16oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the chicken breasts on the foil, and season both sides with salt and pepper. Fold the foil over the chicken breasts to make a “packet”. Roast 30-40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Allow to cool enough to handle, then shred or chop into bite-sized pieces.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Saute’ the onions 10-15 minutes, or until tender and translucent. Add the garlic to the pot and saute’ just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Mix in the chopped bell peppers, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, oregano, chipotle and kosher salt. Cook 5 minutes more. Place the canned tomatoes in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 4-5 times to get a slightly smoother texture. Omit this step if you like it chunky. Add the tomatoes to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the shredded chicken and the rinsed beans, and allow to simmer for another 20 minutes.
Source: adapted from Annie’s Eats, originally from Barefoot Contessa Parties.
