Chicken Chili For 6
4 chicken breasts, split and deboned
2 Tablespoons olive oil1 large onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 orange bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped, or 1-2 Tablespoons dried basil
2 (28 oz) cans diced tomatoes in their own juice
2 (14 oz) cans beans, rinsed and drained (1 kidney bean and 1 black bean) or (kidney and pinto)…whatever your pleasure
Sour cream
Cheddar or mozzarella cheese, shredded
sweet onion, diced (optional)
Chicken: Bake these ahead while chopping the vegetables. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken pieces on baking sheet lined with foil (for easy cleanup); rub lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Roast for 30-35 minutes or until done. Cool, then cut or tear into bite size pieces.
In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and sauté onions 5-6 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add sweet peppers and next 6 ingredients: chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, cayenne, salt, basil; stir and cook for a few minutes. Add tomatoes, beans and chicken. Bring to boil, then simmer uncovered for 30-40 minutes.
Serve with a heaping teaspoon or two of sour cream on each bowl; add grated cheese, and we do like some chopped sweet onions. Any leftovers are great the next day. Serve with a fresh sourdough and side salad or it is a meal just by itself. Quick and easy, and I know you will enjoy it.
(Notes: We also like grilling the chicken breasts, and when preparing grilled chicken breasts for a dinner, will prepare four extra ones and freeze them for this purpose. The cost of sweet peppers determines the colors I use. Oftentimes the orange pepper is two to three times the price, so I simply double up on the yellow.
