There’s something about chile that just feels comforting. I don’t know if the association comes from social influence, advertisements, the entertainment industry, or an actual memory of eating your mom’s home cooking by the fireplace on a cold winter night. But for whatever reason, chile feeds the soul.
This chile also happens to tantalize the tastebuds with a rich blend of spices that in my opinion is tough to beat. The chile is not “hot,” but the spices bring so much flavor that even the Tabasco-lovers will relish in its deliciousness as-is. On top of this, all of the nutrient-dense ingredients–including beans, bell pepper and onion, sweet corn, plump tomatoes, and tender ground chicken–add a beautiful variety of colors, textures, and health benefits for a hearty and satisfying meal.
Top it with some freshly shredded sharp cheddar, plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, chopped chives and/or jalapeños (if the heat doesn’t terrify you), and pair it with a big slice of healthy homemade cornbread. Your soul-warming dinner is served.
Try this recipe for cornbread on the side! It’s toasty, moist, crumbly, slightly-sweet heaven. The recipe explains how to stuff it with cheddar, but with this chile I usually leave out the cheese in the cornbread and just have it on top of my soup. (But of course there’s nothing wrong with doubling up on cheese 😉 )
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 10 oz ground chicken breast*
- 2-3 bell peppers (red, green, and/or yellow), roughly chopped
- ~1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup canned red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 2/3 cup frozen corn kernels
- 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes**
- 1 cup canned diced tomatoes**
- 1.5 cups chicken broth
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp cacao powder (I use raw)
- 1 tsp coconut sugar***
- Heat oil in a large saucepan; add meat and lightly sauté until just browned (not necessarily cooked through); stir as needed to break it up.
- Mix in remaining ingredients.
- Bring to a light boil, reduce heat, cover, and let it simmer on low for 1.5-2 hours.****
- Divide into bowls. Top with freshly shredded sharp cheddar, sliced green onion, and/or a dollop of plain Greek yogurt. Enjoy!
- *Feel free to use whatever meat calls to you (turkey, beef, bison, etc.). My favorite is chicken breast strips ground in a food processor.
- **You can sub tomato sauce or strained tomatoes for the crushed tomatoes--whatever is most convenient. I like Muir Glen fire-roasted diced and crushed tomatoes.
- ***brown, turbinado, and sucanat sugars also work
- ****It works wonderfully in a slow cooker as well; just let it cook longer.
