Hey guys! How’s the weather where you are? We’ve had way too many dreary, chilly days in a row around here lately. I know it’s Winter time, but seriously. Fortunately, the sun is supposed to be coming back around starting today, and it’s supposed to hang around for a while. Yay! Sixty six degrees and sunny is the forecast for Saturday, and I plan to take full advantage of it. After freezing my face off yesterday, I am really looking forward to running in warm temps!
Since the weather was still cold and cloudy yesterday, I decided to whip up some chili for lunch. This Chicken and Black Bean Chili was definitely a keeper, and it might just be the best one I’ve made yet. My husband had seconds, so it’s husband approved as well.
It’s not only tasty, but it’s also full of healthy ingredients. The black beans are a good source of manganese, copper, vitamin B1, phosphorus, magnesium, protein, and iron. They are also good at helping to keep blood sugar levels stable.
Cilantro: People seem to either love it or hate it. Some describe it as having a “soapy” taste. I happen to absolutely love it. I just don’t get how people can hate cilantro. It’s my favorite of all the herbs out there. It adds such a delicious flavor to salsa and chili. This herb is also very high in antioxidants and phytonutrients. I’ve read that it is very effective in cleansing the body of heavy metals, too.
Poblano and Jalapeno peppers are rich in nutrients like vitamins, A, C and K and the phytonutrient, capsaicin.
I used pasture-raised ground chicken that comes from a local farm in this recipe. You could use ground chicken breast in this chili if you prefer, but I don’t think it would be quite as tasty. The radish garnish is totally optional, but I like the nice crunch it adds to the chili.
Chicken and Black Bean Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp ghee or olive oil
- 1 lb . ground chicken (pasture-raised, if possible)
- 1 medium white onion , diced
- 2 poblano peppers , diced
- 1 large jalapeno , minced
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground cayenne
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt or salt to taste
- 2 cups strained tomatoes (or 1 (14.5 oz) can of puree or crushed)
- 1 (25 oz) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels (no need to defrost)
- 2 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- To serve:
- radishes , sliced paper thin
- sour cream
- cilantro
- fresh jalapenos , sliced paper thin
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, heat 1 tbsp of oil over medium high heat. Add the ground chicken and cook, crumbling it with a spoon, until browned, about 5-6 minutes. Add the onions and peppers and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the minced garlic, cayenne, garlic powder, ground cumin and sea salt and let cook for about thirty more seconds.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, black beans, corn and cilantro and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, cover and let cook for 15-20 minutes. Serve with sour cream, radish slices and extra cilantro.