Cook it Fresh

Chicken Mole Chili with Black Beans

It may be that chili does not really belong in a series about soups but I just had to include a chili recipe here.   During my childhood, in Colorado, we had chili at least once a week during the cold winter months and I now know why my mom made chili so often.  It is a nutritious, filling, delicious  meal and it’s easy to make a big pot that feeds lots of people.  Although there was a time when I was thoroughly sick of eating chili, I have now come around and there is nothing I crave more on a cold day than a bowl of steaming, spicy chili.  I have discovered, however, that I do not particularly like the texture and taste of ground beef in chili so I usually made mine with steak, until I discovered a recipe for Chicken Mole Chili in an Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine.  The ground chicken is so wonderfully flavorful and moist and makes a great lower-fat substitute for beef. This has become my very favorite chili recipe and my own family will one day start saying, “Are we really having chili again?”.  I have made some significant changes to the original recipe, not the least of which is the addition of black beans.  I probably added the beans because my mom always put beans in her chili, but they also are a great economical way to make the chili more filling without having to add more meat.

Chicken Mole Chili with Black Beans

This is also a great crock pot meal because the flavors get better and better as the chili cooks slowly.  To make in the crock pot, prepare the recipe through step 2, then transfer the chicken mixture to the bowl of a large crock pot and add the broth tomatoes and spices, stirring thoroughly to combine.  Set the crock pot on low heat and cook for 4 to 6 hours, stirring occasionally and adding extra broth or water as needed.  Stir in the beans 15 minutes before serving.

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

5 slices thick-cut smoky bacon, cut into small pieces

2 pounds ground chicken

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 medium onion, diced

1 jalapeno, seeded and cut in a small dice

4 cloves of garlic, minced

4 cups chicken broth

1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

3 Tablespoons cocoa powder

2 Tablespoons chile powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon ground chipotle chiles (optional, add if you want a spicier chili)

1/2 teaspoon cinammon

1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

Optional garnishes:  White cheddar, sour cream, cilantro, lettuce, tortillas

1.  Add the bacon to a large pot or a dutch oven and cook over medium heat until the bacon has rendered its fat and is crispy.

2. Drain all but 1 Tablespoon of the bacon fat from the pan and then add the ground chicken; cook for about 8 minutes or until no pink remains, breaking the chicken up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Add the onion, jalapeno and garlic to the chicken and cook for 5 more minutes or until the onion begins to soften and turn translucent.  Season chicken with 1 teaspoon salt and about 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

3.  Add the broth, tomatoes, cocoa, and all the spices to the pan and stir gently until the spices are all mixed in.

4.  Turn the heat to low and simmer for at least half an hour to give the flavors time to meld.  You can simmer this up to a couple of hours but check often and add extra broth or water if the chili is getting too thick.   Add the beans to the chili about 15 minutes before serving, just giving them time to warm through.  Season with extra salt to taste, if needed, just before serving.

I would highly recommend serving this with the suggested garnish of white cheddar and cilantro.  The white cheddar is the perfect, sharp accompaniment while the fresh, cool cilantro is a great contrast to the spicy chili.