Field To Fork: Recipe

Easy Chicken Chili (Recipe)

This is not truly a Field to Fork recipe for wild game that I am known for sharing, but sometimes you just can’t beat chicken! I also realize that to chili connoisseurs, this may not technically be a chili recipe. But to me, it fits the description. It has meat, it has beans and it’s pretty yummy if I do say so myself.

I like to use organic meat whenever possible and opted for sodium free chicken broth. If you are watching your sodium intake, you can also omit the salt altogether. The peperoncini peppers help to add a nice bit of warm heat to the dish, but if you have sensitive eaters like my munchkin, you can leave them out and bring out a bottle of hot sauce for your more daring diners instead.

This is the kind of recipe you can throw together and eat on all day, especially if you have a busy weekend planned. It’s also a great party or game day dish when you are entertaining and easily feeds a bunch of people. You could also make this for a family dinner and then have it for lunches or freeze for a later meal.

Easy Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

1 red onion (chopped)

5 cloves garlic (sliced)

4 T of extra virgin olive oil

4 organic chicken breasts (cut into cubes)

3 T dry sherry

1 can mushrooms

3 cans great northern or cannellini beans

2 cans green chilies

½ cup sliced peperoncini peppers (from a jar)

32 oz sodium free chicken broth

1½ T dried oregano

1 T ground cumin

¼ t ground cloves

2 t pepper

1 t salt

juice of a lime

Instructions:

Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a pan and place on the stove at medium heat.

Add the chopped onions and stir often.

When onions start to become translucent add the sliced garlic and cook for an additional 3 minutes, stirring often. Transfer to a large crockpot.

Add the remaining olive oil to the pan and then add the cubed chicken.

Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally until the chicken is completely cooked through.

Add the sherry to deglaze any bits that have stuck to the pan and transfer to the crockpot.

Drain and rinse the mushrooms and beans in a colander and then add all to crockpot along with chilies, lime juice and remaining ingredients.

Stir the mixture and set the crockpot to low heat and slow cook for four hours.

Serve with sourdough toast, oyster crackers or saltines.

Notes:

Use organic chicken breasts and sodium free chicken broth for healthier chili. Salt can be omitted as well. The spice level for this dish is pleasantly warm. The peperoncini peppers add heat. Use more or add hot sauce to make hotter or omit for sensitive eaters.