Chili Cookoff Sunday
I love the first Second Sunday of the year. Why is this Second Sunday different from all other Second Sundays? Because it’s Chili Cookoff Sunday!!! So much spicy, savory deliciousness to be sampled. Plus, it tends to bring out the mad scientist in me, prodding me to try different things with my chili “recipe.”
This year, I tried a Green Chile Chicken Chili with corn, black beans, and lots of roasted green chilis. A white chili is really nice because I find it to be less heartburn-y. I really liked the flavor and the amount of heat in this chili. The chiles add a lot of flavor without a lot of heat, and the smokiness of the paprika and chili powder adds some great depth without overpowering the lightness of the dish. I’m posting the recipe more for my own recollection than anything else, but if you use it, I hope you enjoy!
Green Chile Chicken Chili
INGREDIENTS
2 bags fully cooked, diced chicken breasts
1 14oz can cream-style corn
1 14oz can Rotelle
2 8oz cans diced green chiles
1 8oz can prepared Queso Blanco sauce (Like this)
1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15oz can chili beans, drained and rinsed
1 15oz can mayacoba (Canary) beans or Pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chili powder
6 oz chicken stock
Cayenne Pepper to taste
Tapatio (optional)
Combine Queso Blanco, Rotelle, Chiles, and Corn in a saucepan over medium heat. Add Poultry Seasoning, Smoked Paprika, and Chili powder. Heat until the Queso Blanco has reached a sauce consistency. Transfer to a slow cooker (I line mine with the slow cooker bags to make cleanup and transport easier) and add the beans and diced chicken. Add the chicken stock until the chili reaches the desired consistency. Add cayenne pepper until you reach the level of heat that works for you. At this point, you could place the chili in the fridge overnight (which I did), or you could turn your slow cooker on, and in the words of Ron Popeil, “Set it and Forget it!”
I forgot to take pictures because I’m a dufus, but the creamed corn and the Queso Blanco give the chili a really nice texture against the beans and chicken. And the black beans pop ever so nicely against the pale backdrop.
Feliz comiendo, everybody! See you next year!