I think I’ve posted maybe two recipes in ten years, but this one was too good not to share. Plus, I wanted to save my own version for myself to make again. I was going to make some chicken breast and pasta tonight, when I found one of those little “Try Foods” recipe cards in the meat department of our grocery store for a Chipotle Chicken Chili dish (the original recipe is at the end of this post). I wasn’t feeling like chipotle so I hacked the original recipe, and it’s really good. Mine isn’t quite as healthy as the original. I used 1.5 pounds of chicken, which seemed to be good to make it a bit ‘denser’ and meatier.
It’s more of a rich and kind of spicy chicken tomato soup than a chili. Don’t make fun of me for my spice selections (they baffled my wife, as I generally have no idea what I’m doing in the kitchen, but they seemed to work really well here). For the chocolate and cheese melted into the dish, I just think it adds to the texture. I could be wrong, and probably am, but there you go…
It’s got a weird sweetness to it as a finished dish and just enough of a burn that you’re aware of it. Should be served piping hot.
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Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes
3 slices slab bacon
1 1/2 lb. bonlesss, skinless chicken breast cut into small bite size pieces
1 small onion, chopped
1 (14-oz) can low-sodium, fat free chicken broth
3 (14.5-oz) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinced and drained
Cholula regular hot sauce
several squares of dark chocolate
about 8 oz of jack & cheddar shredded cheese
olive oil
black pepper
Worcestershire sauce (no sane reason, but I did it and it worked)
basil
dill
paprika (sweet or hot)
garlic powder or chopped garlic
bag of shredded cheddar cheese to top bowls afterward
sour creme to top bowls
Set oven to Warming temperatures. In a large pot, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Add chicken pieces to the pot (use the same pot and bacon grease); saute 4 minutes. I splashed a bit of of olive oil on it and scraped off bacon remnants stuck to the pan. Add some black pepper to the chicken. Crumple up the bacon while the chicken is cooking. When the chicken is just beginning to brown, throw out paper towel, toss the chicken on the bacon, and stick it in the oven to warm. If you’re not using fresh garlic toss a few dashes of garlic powder on the chicken as well, as it’s being cooked.
Add onion to pot; saute 2 minutes. Saute the garlic here if you’re using fresh garlic.
Add broth, tomatoes, beans and a healthy few splashes of the Cholula.
If using garlic powder, add a dash. Dash of basil and dill, several dashes of paprika, few splashes of Worcestershire.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low.
Return chicken and bacon to the pot; simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
After boiling ten minutes crumble and stir in the chocolate and 4 oz of jack & cheddar. Do the other 4 oz about 5 minutes later.
Ladle chili into soup bowls. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and a small dollop of sour creme (recommended).
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This was the original recipe; I found it’s on most recipe sites.
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 27 minutes
Serves 6
(Find in the food search for one serving at 275 calories)2 bacon slices
1 lb. bonlesss, skinless chicken breast cut into small bite size pieces
1 small onion, chopped
1 (14-oz) can low-sodium, fat free chicken broth
3 (14.5-oz) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinced and drained
1/2 tsp. chipotle seasoning
4 oz. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (1 cup)
Sliced fresh japepenos & sour cream (optional)In a large pot, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Add chicken pieces to the pot; saute 4 minutes. Remove chicken and keep warm.
Add onion to pot; saute 2 minutes.
Add broth, tomatoes, beans and chipotle seasoning; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low.
Return chicken and bacon to the pot; simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.Ladle chili into 6 soup bowls. Top with cheese, and if desired, serve with jalepenos and sour cream.

















