Craving Comfort: Chicken Chili with Black Beans

Written by Meena Agarwal on October 16th, 2007 |

Pic taken from www.hookedonheat.com, visit site for recipe details.

I woke up this morning and went straight to the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee and looked out the window. And what do I see? FOG!It’s been chilly, wet and foggy the past couple of days, which makes me happy knowing that my favourite season has finally made it’s way! Just looking at wet ground gave me a cozy feeling. I was so glad for being home and not having to drag myself through the chill to go someplace. It was a treat to look forward to spending the next hour or two enjoying my hot cup over the books and magazines I’d gathered a few weeks ago to aid me in my impending writing assignments.

There’s something about Fall that just brings me to a good place. The lovely hues of orange and red in the trees, the crisp chill in the air, and especially the warmth from cranking up the stove and oven to begin a long period of rich comfort food. I always welcome the cooler weather by making an array of rich spicy curries, aromatic stews and tantalizing soups. Most of our dinners during these colder months are enjoyed on the warm comfy couch over our favourite movies, with the softness of a fleece blanket wrapped around us.

Of all things I enjoy cooking in the Fall, one of my most favourite meal would have be a big bowl of Chili with fresh rustic Italian bread on the side. This dish is such a hit in my home, that I almost always make a big batch and freeze it, to savour over the coming weeks. Like any rustic dish, it’s very versatile to work with. When I want to give it more depth, I always opt to add in a cup or two of mixed beans and meatier vegetables like mushrooms.

Although this may not be the traditional Chili recipe we Canadians are so used to, it definitely is worth trying! And for those with little time on their hands and a big craving for easy comfort foods, its definitely a winner. It hardly took me about 30-35 minutes to get done and doesn’t differ much from the original.

CHICKEN CHILI WITH BLACK BEANS
Prep time: 10 min | Cooking time: 30 min | Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground chicken
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can beans in tomato sauce
1 can black beans
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1 jalapeno, finely chopped
1 tsp read chilli powder
1 tbsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp olive oil
fresh coriander leaves, chopped for garnish
water, as needed
salt, to taste

Directions:

Heat oil in a deep pan and saute onions, jalapeno and garlic till onions become transparent and soft. Add ground chicken, and fry till moisture dries up.

Season with salt, chili powder, oregano and cumin powder and cook for another minute, stirring constantly. Add in the canned tomatoes and tomato paste, and cook for a few minutes to combine well.

Add in canned beans and about a half cup of water, and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes on low heat.

Garnish with fresh coriander and serve warm with bread.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 16th, 2007 at 9:45 am and is filed under Recipes: Gluten-free (naturally or easily adaptable), Recipes: Non-Vegetarian. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


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