A Big Pot of Something Hot

If there ever was a good week to make a big pot of something hot, this was the week.  Icy weather, single digit temperatures, and a whole lot of blankets. 

We have a good ‘go-to’ chili recipe, but I was feeling creative and wanted to use my slow cooker so I decided to make a chicken chili for our Saturday night enjoyment.  I’ve mentioned before that I’m working on my comfort and creativity of cooking without a recipe and well, just like anything else, I know I won’t get better unless I practice, right?

So here it goes…a chicken chili by Dana Plummer.  I bought some of the ingredients on the fly (not on my list, which is a usual no-no, but I was building this recipe on a feeling).  I grabbed some garbanzo beans and pinto beans as well as a can of diced tomatoes with green chilies.  I knew I had chicken broth and spices on hand.

Onions and garlic were going to be a given.  I love those two flavors and both can transform many bland dishes into something spectacularly flavorful.  My slow cooker would do most of the work, but I did pre-cook the onions and garlic for a few minutes on the stovetop until the onions were translucent and the garlic was fragrant, not burnt (unfortunately so easy to do).

Spices are the tricky part to me.  I did not want a super spicy chili, even maybe something a little different than the usual chili taste profile perhaps.  Well, I didn’t step off the beaten path too far, starting my spice combo with chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper.  Then, I literally started smelling my spices one by one determining if they would be a good addition, letting my senses be my guide.  Out of that adventure came…a sneeze, but also oregano and cinnamon. 

So now my ingredients were set:

3 medium chicken breasts

1 ¼ cup chicken broth

1 can pinto beans

1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)

1 can (10 oz.) diced tomatoes with green chilies

1 medium onion, chopped and cooked until translucent

3 garlic cloves, minced and cooked with the onions

1-2 tsp of vegetable oil (to cook the onions and garlic)

1 Tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp oregano
½ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

½ Tbsp. vinegar (white distilled)

Everything went into the slow cooker and voila, 4-5 hours later I was able to pull the chicken apart with no problem.  Then I left the chili on low heat until we were ready to eat (there was another adventure of whole wheat corn bread in there, but that’s maybe a story for another day).  Our chicken chili was great!  It was mild with great texture.  The cinnamon added a unique undertone that was just right.  Topped with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of mozzarella added the perfect ‘cool’ balance.  The only thing I would add is an additional small can of green chilies, otherwise no adjustments necessary.  The big pot of something hot delivered as a warm comforting dinner dish that we’ll definitely make again, not to mention have again this week since the recipe made plenty for at least 2 nights for 2.

If you have not explored slow cooking…do so.  More often than not, slow cooker recipes involve dumping all of your ingredients in and getting a wholesome finished dish out.  Everything goes into the pot…your meat, your veggies and your starch – a one-pot dish.  Slow cooking is one great way to have nutritious homemade meals without so much time in the kitchen.  Yes, it cooks longer, but it’s cooking while you’re going about your day.  You’re not tied to the kitchen, which is the perception of cooking at home that keeps some folks from making their own dinner.  Now, believe me you, there are plenty of great nutritious dishes that can be made without spending hours in the kitchen and without the slow cooker, but sometimes we need strategies to set ourselves up for success.  If you don’t have the time after work to put dinner together, choose slow cooking and walk into a kitchen filled with the perfume of your creation, ready to eat when you are.