21-Ingredient Chili

In preparation to install my magic shelves, I cleaned out the cabinets. These are my spices. Well, most of them. My cinnamon sticks and ground cinnamon got left out. Clearly, I have a problem. A delicious one.

Because of this delicious problem, I was able to make this 21-ingredient chili with only having to buy one spice. I'm not sure if that's something I should be proud of...

We both really liked this chili. My husband, who has a very narrow definition of what a chili is, declared this his "new favorite tortilla soup." It took some work, but I will definitely be making it again, with a few changes - I'll note those below.

The most exciting part of this is that I got to make it in my new crockpot. Behold:

It's pretty and shiny and I love it.

But now onto the chili.

Slow Cooker 21-Ingredient Chili
From A Year of Crockpotting
Prep Time - 25 min
Cook Time - 8 hrs
Serves 8ish

INGREDIENTS
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks.
1 onion, diced
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained & rinsed
1 (15 oz) can white cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
1 (15 oz) can corn (drained & rinsed)*
1 (15 oz) can fire-roasted tomatoes (NOT drained)
1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and grated
1/2 cup spicy grown mustard
2 TBSP soy sauce
2 TBSP honey
3 TBSP chili powder
1 TBSP chipotle chili powder
1 TBSP onion powder
1 TBSP garlic powder
1 tsp white peper
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon**
1/4 tsp cloves
2 cups chicken broth

DIRECTIONS

Put the chicken into the bottom of your cooker; frozen is okay, but cut it into chunks. Add the diced onion, canned beans, tomatoes, chiles, corn, and grated sweet potato. 

In a small bowl, mix together the mustard, honey, dried spices, and broth. Whisk together and pour into the crockpot. Stir to combine.

Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until chicken easily shreds with two large forks. Stir very well and serve in a large bowl with your favorite chili toppings, like sour cream and cheese.

Serve and enjoy.

NOTES

*I used a second can of kidney beans instead of corn. 

** When I make this again, I will omit. 

Jalapeno Poblano Chili

I love CookingLight. The day the new issue arrives in my mailbox is sort of like a mini-Christmas. If it sits on my coffee table for too long without me looking at it, I start to get antsy. When I saw this recipe for Jalapeno-Poblano Chili, I knew we had to test it out as a more every-day substitute for the famous chili recipe that feeds an army and takes at least 2 days to prepare.

I took a few liberties with the recipe - most notably, I used actual beef, cut into cubes instead of ground beef (personal preference). I also used a regular light-colored beer instead of Corona (because I realized at last minute we didn't have any). 

The results were great. It is officially our new favorite "substitute" chili recipe. 

Poblano-Jalapeno Chili
CookingLight March 2012

Buffalo Chicken Chili

I'm finally able to admit to myself that I generally like Rachael Ray's recipes. Her personality I could do without most of the time, but I will occasionally watch her show and usually find she has some great tips and is really encouraging for people to use their creativity when cooking rather than strictly follow the recipe. 

This Buffalo Chicken Chili is a recipe I've had printed out for a long time but always passed on for one reason or another. I love buffalo wings, but had a hard time imagining how it would translate into a chili. On top of that, it was so hot this summer that eating a spicy chili wasn't high on my list. Then one day a couple of weeks ago, when it started to get cooler, I had the right combination of ingredients in my fridge and pantry that I decided it was time. 

We both liked this. I think I liked it more than my husband did. He said he had a hard time deciding what he thought of it because it wasn't really like anything he'd had before. I did change up the original recipe quite a bit, but I think I all were changes I'd keep if I make this again.

Buffalo Chicken Chili

Recipe by Rachael Ray, adapted

Serves 4-6

Prep Time - 15 min 

Cook Time - 30 min

INGREDIENTS

1 TBSP olive oil

2 TBSP butter

1 lb shredded rotisserie chicken

1 carrot, shredded

1 onion, chopped

1 rib celery, finely chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 TBSP paprika

1 bay leaf

salt & pepper, to taste

2 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup hot sauce

1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce

1 (15 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

cheese, for garnish

tortilla chips, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, paprika, bay leaf, and some salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 min, stirring frequently. Add the shredded chicken and stir. Cook for a couple of minutes, just to get the chicken warm.

Add the chicken stock and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the hot sauce, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and stir. Simmer for a minimum of 15 min (but 30 is better).

Serve and garnish with cheese (Rachael recommends Blue cheese, but we don't like it so we used some shredded cheddar) and tortilla chips. Use extra chips for dipping.

Chili Blanco

It's currently -3 degrees in St. Paul. I think the wind chill is somewhere around -20. Yesterday was worse. That means it's time to bring out the chili. I really love white chili with chicken, but had never made it before. I was a little afraid of trying it, but after searching a bunch of recipes, I decided to give it a shot.

If you like white chili, you must make this recipe now. It's rich, hearty, spicy, and just what you need on a really cold day.

White Chili with Chicken
Recipe from Gourmet, via Epicurious, adapted
Serves 4-6
Cook & Prep Time - about 30 min

INGREDIENTS
1 can cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
1 large onion, chopped
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon Tabasco, or to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon white pepper, or to taste
two 4-ounce cans whole mild green chilies, drained and chopped
2 lbs shredded rotisserie chicken (I used a mix of dark & white meat)
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack (about 6 ounces)
1/2 cup sour cream

DIRECTIONS
In a skillet cook onion in 2 tablespoons butter over moderate heat until softened. (I did this in my dutch oven).

In a 6- to 8-quart heavy kettle melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter over moderately low heat and whisk in flour. (I did this in my dutch oven, too). Cook roux, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. Stir in onion and gradually add broth and half-and-half, whisking constantly. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes, or until thickened.

Stir in Tabasco, chili powder, cumin, salt, and white pepper. Add beans, chilies, chicken, and Monterey Jack and cook mixture over moderately low heat, stirring, 20 minutes. Stir sour cream into chili.

Transfer to serving bowls and garnish as desired.

Chili

The cooler weather has brought out the soup making at my house. The latest is my husband's brother's recipe for chili.

I didn't know if I could post this recipe for the longest time. I wasn't sure if my brother-in-law kept it under lock and key or if my husband had to take some sort of blood oath to get it from him, but I have now been assured it's safe to post and should be shared with the world (or, my tens of readers... whatever. You've gotta start somewhere, right?). I've taken some small liberties with the original recipe so you don't have to stand at the stove for a whole day cooking, and use every pot, pan, and bowl in your kitchen. You'll thank me later.

I'm not the biggest chili fan in general, but everyone I know goes crazy over this recipe. Be forewarned - it's really spicy.


Scott's Chili
From my Brother-in-Law
Serves 12-18 (yes...)
Cook & Prep Time - 2-3 hrs

SPECIAL NOTES
*Use a 6-Quart stock pot
*Make this at least a day in advance, let it sit in the fridge overnight before you're going to serve it

INGREDIENTS
1 can spicy baked beans (this is a big can. It should be the only one available)
1 large can Tomato Juice
2 cans hot & spicy chili beans (regular sized cans)
2 cans kidney beans (regular sized cans)
2 packages hot chili seasoning mix
3 lbs stew meat
4 stems celery
2 medium onions
6 jalapeno peppers (cut it in half or de-seed if you don't like spice)
1 bottle Frank's Red Hot Sauce (you'll use about 2/3 of the bottle)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
crushed red pepper
Minced Garlic
Vegetable oil (or canola... or olive - whatever you want)
Tabasco sauce
1 cup red wine (I highly recommend a dry Marsala)

DIRECTIONS
Dice onion and divide into two bowls. Cut celery and put into its own bowl. Dice jalapenos, with seeds, and divide into two bowls. Set aside.

Cut beef into nickel size pieces. Set aside.

Coat stock pot with oil, over medium heat, and add one bowl of onion. Season with salt & pepper. Add 1 tsp crushed red pepper. Simmer until onions are translucent.

Add 1 tsp garlic and stir. Add one bowl of jalapeno peppers.

Add more oil if necessary. Never keep the ingredients dry.

Add 1 tsp crushed red pepper and 2 TBSP Frank's Red Hot. Stir.

Add meat. Right away add half the bottle of Frank's Red Hot. Stir.

Add 2 tsp crushed red pepper. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Add 1 tsp Tabasco sauce.

Continue stirring and simmer until the meat is just browned.

Once the meat has browned, add the remaining onions. Salt & pepper to taste. Add 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper and 1 tsp Frank's Red Hot. If the pot is cry, add a little more oil.

Add one heaping tsp. of garlic and the rest of the jalapenos. Stir.

Add the red wine & celery. Stir. Let simmer until the celery gets soft.

Once the celery is soft, add the tomato juice. Stir to combine.

Add the brown sugar and white sugar. Stir.

Next, add the dry chili seasoning mix and all beans (do not drain kidney beans). Simmer on low for about 2 hrs.

Store overnight and cook for at least 1 hour before serving.

Garnish with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, tortilla chips, or whatever your favorite chili accompaniment is.