It is officially chili weather.
It's been raining an awful lot here, and since I'm in California, and part of living in California means complaining every time it dips below 60, I've been making a lot of hearty comfort food.
I'm very happy that we've never lost power, so my slow cookers could continue to bubble away unattended while I watched the gutter outside overflow onto the sidewalk and lawn.
I may have even taken some video.
This is a fun twist on traditional chili, and I finished off the last little plastic container this morning. Like many soups, stews, and chilis, the leftovers are even better than the original!
The Ingredients.
serves 6
1 1/2 pounds chicken (boneless & skinless, OR fish out the bones and skin after about 4 hours)
1 1/2 cups prepared enchilada sauce (read labels carefully if avoiding gluten)
2 chopped celery stalks
2 (14.5 oz) cans tomatoes with seasoning (your choice: I had garlic and olive oil on hand)
2 (15 oz) cans pinto or kidney beans, undrained (or 1 cup dried pinto beans, soaked overnight)
1 onion, diced (or 1 tablespoon dried, minced onion flakes)
1-2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
The Directions.
Pour enchilada sauce and canned tomatoes into the bottom of a 6 quart slow cooker. Add beans, celery, onion and spices. Stir to combine. Place chicken on top.
Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or until flavors have combined. If you are using dried beans, you may need to cook longer to fully soften the beans. Since I was using the chicken quarters I got on sale, I fished out the chicken after about 4 hours, and removed the bones. I then stirred the chicken back into the pot.
Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream, if desired.
The Verdict.
Oh I LOVED this chili. And I loved it even more that Adam and the kids loved it, and that the baby doesn't seem to mind when I eat beans. I made an afternoon snack of nachos with some of the leftovers yesterday. Divine.
There is definitely a bit of heat in the sauce. I used a mild enchilada sauce, but it still has a kick. If your family doesn't like much heat, start with 1 teaspoon of chili powder. You can always add more later to taste.
Gluten Free Progressive Dinner
and a Make it Fast, Cook it Slow give-away!
This month's Gluten Free Dinner theme is "Winter Warmers," and here's a listing of all the participants:
Creamy Potato Leek Soup
Roasted Cauliflower Soup with GF Croutons
Fire Roasted Tomato Basil Soup with Prosciutto
Mexican Seafood Soup
Vegan Un-Chicken Roasted Vegetable Soup
Wassail (this is my recipe! and Shirley is giving away a signed copy of my Make it Fast, Cook it Slow cookbook. Click over and leave a comment under her post for entry by January 27th)
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