Chicken Chili

January 20th, 2008

I love this chili, it’s hearty and flavorful without feeling heavy. I realized I now have three different chilis in my meal rotation (white chili made with ground turkey, a veggie chili, and now this one), but not one made with beef. I’m open to ground beef chili recommendations!

The recipe calls for a lot of yellow and red peppers, which can be pricey. However, they lend a sweetness to the dish which really compliments the cumin and cayenne. You could, of course, sub in green peppers if you wanted to. This is also a really large recipe, which was fine for me since I then froze quart-size bags of leftovers. A nice addition to my freezer stash.

My father-in-law, who took the photo above, paid me the ultimate compliment by requesting the chili leftovers for dinner last night, rather than ordering in from a restaurant!

Chicken Chili
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa, aka Ina Garten

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
olive oil
fresh ground pepper

2 large, sweet onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 red bell peppers, rough chopped
4 yellow bell peppers, rough chopped
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
3 28-oz. cans diced tomatoes in puree, undrained
1/2 c. fresh basil, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Brush chicken breasts lightly with olive oil (I used an olive oil spray) and place them on a baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with pepper. Roast for 40 minutes, or until just cooked. Let cool slightly, then cut into 1-inch chunks. Set aside.

While chicken is baking, sautee a little bit of olive oil and onions in a large pot over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and sautee for another few minutes. Add bell peppers, cayenne, cumin, tomatoes, and basil. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, UNCOVERED!, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add chicken to the chili and simmer, uncovered, for another 20 minutes. Serve over rice or with cornbread.

Entry Filed under: Poultry