Corn Bean & Chicken Chili

To start, sort and rinse 1+ cup of mixed beans, using only those of similar size.

In a 2 quart pan, cover them with fresh cold water and bring to a boil. Drain, rinse in cold water and repeat the boil process several times. Soak in fresh cold water overnight. Or use 3 cans of rinsed, drained beans.

1# bite size pieces of chicken thigh meat

1/4 lg. purple onion - chopped

3T single source EVOO

In a 5 quart pot, 'sizzle' the chicken, onion and EVOO, while stirring. Reduce heat and continue to stir and sauté until the chicken turns white, then add the following chopped vegetables, spices, etc.

3/4 lg. purple onion

2c chopped celery

2 chopped kale leaves - rib discarded

28oz. can petite diced tomatoes

28oz. can crushed tomatoes

28oz. fresh cold water 

1# frozen corn

1t coarse sea salt

2T ground cumin

2T turbinado sugar

1t AZ Smoked Garlic Chipotle

1t Little's Chili Lime Seasoning

1t Penzeys ground black pepper

Simmer everything gently for an hour, covered, stirring occasionally. This made almost a full 5 quarts. Later I'll make cornbread to go with it for lunch after church tomorrow. . .Lin

Black Bean and Corn Chicken Chili

1# chicken breast or thigh meat

2T finely minced onion

2T coconut oil

⅓-½ lg. yellow onion

1-2 colorful sweet peppers

2 stalks or a heart of celery

2 cans of diced tomatoes

1t sugar

2c fresh, canned or frozen corn

1 can rinsed-drained black beans

If using unseasoned tomatoes add:

1t Penzey's Smoky 4/S

2t roasted garlic and herb seasoning

1t Little's Red Chili Lime seasoning

Saute' the chicken, onion and coconut oil just to get it sizzling.  Add the chopped onion, pepper and celery.  Continue to saute' and stir.  After a few minutes all the rest of the ingredients in this group, cover and let simmer 15 minutes.  Put the beans and seasonings in the pot, with a little water if needed.  Cover again and simmer another 20 minutes.  Check the flavors and make any adjustments needed.

Serve now with some potato rolls or crusty-buttered bread.  Or make this a day ahead, chill and then reheat.  I think it's always better that way. . .Lin

Colorful Chicken Chili

1# chicken breast meat

½ giant 6oz. purple shallot

1-2T sunflower-coconut oil

1c chopped carrot

1c chopped celery

1 28oz. can diced tomatoes

2 giant cloves of garlic

the rest of the shallot

½ lg. green pepper

1T± tomato paste

1-2t sugar

1t fresh ground garlic salt

1t fresh ground black pepper

1-2t ground cumin

1t chili powder

1 15oz. can corn

1 15oz. can garbanzo beans*

1 15oz. can chili beans

*As this was being assembled, I changed my mind about the black beans and switched to garbanzos.

Cut the chicken into strips then crosswise into bite-size cubes.  Saute' in a 5 quart pot with the shallot and oil, for 5-10 minutes.  Stir in the chopped carrot, celery and tomatoes - with the juice.  Cover and simmer on a low-medium bubble for 10 minutes.  Add the remaining chopped ingredients and spices in the first group.  Simmer covered, stirring occasionally, another 15 minutes.

Drain corn and garbanzos into a colander, then rinse well.  Put the colander on some wadded-up paper towels to drain.  After the 15 minutes of cooking, add the corn, garbanzos and the whole can of chili beans - not drained or rinsed.  Sprinkle on the chopped parsley and bring the pot to a very low bubble.  Cover and simmer again for 10 minutes to be sure everything's heated through.  This will taste good now, but even better the next day.  Serve with sour cream and cheese cubes.  Cornbread, oyster crackers, croutons, or just as it is if you're cutting back on carbs.

Yup, here it is. . .Football and Chili Season once again! 😋 Time to break out The Big Soup Pots!
Be Bold - Be Adventurous! - Happy Cooking Everyone! . . . Lin