It is still cold winter season and we are turning to wholesome meals that are capable of tantalizing our taste buds such as chicken chili.
Chili is a beloved comfort dish that has warmed its way into the hearts of many around the world. This hearty and flavorful dish consists of a thick stew of chicken, beans, tomatoes, and chili pepper.
It is one dish that strikes a balance between being a casserole, a pottage and a thick stew. Many cultures have added their own twists and adaptations to this highly versatile meal as it pleases a wide range of taste preferences.
What is Chili?
Chili aka chile con carne (Spanish for chili with meat) is a combination of beans all cooked in a rich ground beef/chicken tomato base, seasoned with chili and other seasonings. This complete dish is believed to have originated in the American Southwest with deep roots in Mexican and Native American cuisines. It gained popularity in the 19th century, evolving as settlers and cowboys incorporated local ingredients into their recipes.
Traditional chili uses ground beef, but as mentioned, there have now been different variations and adaptations to what was known as classic chili.
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Ingredients for the perfect Chicken Chili
To create a stellar chicken chili, assembling the right ingredients is crucial, here are some of the ingredients needed:
Ground Chicken
While some other chicken chili recipes use shredded chicken breast, I was looking for that chunkiness similar to its beef counterpart. 2-3 lbs of ground can be bought from your local grocery store.
Beans
I used a combination of canned pinto and canned red kidney beans for this recipe. Feel free to use even more or less varieties of beans as desired. Bear in mind that if the raw beans are used, the cooking time will be significantly longer than what is recommended in this recipe.
Peppers
You will need diced jalapenos, red and green peppers.
Canned Goods
A can of tomato sauce, 1 canned tomato paste, and 1 can of crushed tomatoes will form most of the sauce that makes up this dish. Tomato paste also serves as a thickener.
Aromatics
Onions and garlic in the dish and some spring onions for garnishing.
Chili Powder
This is the star of the show, it adds the heat that is characteristic of a classic chili dish.
Broth
You can make your own broth or use store-bought chicken/vegetable broth. This is what is used to loosen the consistency of the chili.
Chili can be paired with some soft, buttery cornbread or dinner rolls.
If you would like this recipe in vegan form, simply switch out chicken broth for vegetable broth. Also switch ground chicken for chopped up mushrooms and you have vegan chili providing both texture and nutritional value.
Chicken Chili Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Pressure Cooker optional
Ingredients
- 3 lbs ground chicken
- 1 large onion diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 jalapeno diced
- 1 15 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 1 15 oz canned tomato sauce
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 540 mL canned red kidney beans
- 1 540 mL canned pinto beans
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 3 tbsp chili powder
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- salt to taste
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tsp curry powder
- chicken bouillon optional
For garnish
- sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- spring onions chopped
Instructions
- Heat up a large pot, add the oil and sauté the ground chicken until browned and crumbly. It is important you continue to use a wooden spatula to break down the larger chunks of chicken.
- Add in the chopped onions and minced ginger, toss around for 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the peppers (red, green and jalapenos).
- Introduce the tomato paste and combine well.
- Stir in the chicken broth, cover and let heat up and begin to cook.
- Add in the minced garlic, chili powder, black pepper, curry powder and salt, combine well.
- Pour in the tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, red kidney beans and pinto beans, cover and let it cook for 1 hour on medium to low heat.
- Taste to see if seasoning needs to be adjusted.
- Serve hot with some cornbread or tortillas, topped with shredded sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream, or chopped spring onions.
Notes
- You may be tempted to reduce the cooking time, but I would advise against that, the longer the chili cooks, the more flavor is developed, preparing it a day ahead might be best.
- Feel free to experiment with various types of beans eg. black beans, white beans, black-eyed peas etc.
