chili

My Favourite Chili

By in Beef, Fall, GF Mains, Gluten Free, Main Dish, Soup 4 Comments Tags: , , , , ,

My Favourite Chili

This chili has a great robust flavour, a good amount of heat and the perfect meat/bean ratio – winning the spot of my favourite chili.

I have a secret to tell you. I used to not be able to make a good pot of chili to save my life. I”ve tried many five-star recipes with promises of perfection, but nothing tasted right when I made it. It wasn”t flavourful enough, hot enough, was too liquidy.. the list goes on. If I had a delicious chili at someone else”s house and asked for the recipe, when I would make it at home, it would always come up lacking.

I”ve heard that everyone has a nemesis in cooking. Something that should be easy to make, that everyone can do, but for some reason it never turns out for you. Chili was my nemesis. But, no more! And, I”m extremely happy about this fact because it is one of my all time favourite meals.

This chili has a great robust flavour, a good amount of heat, without being too hot, and has the perfect amount of meat/bean ratio (for me). Having a thick and hearty chili is a must for us because we like to scoop it up with a side of corn chips.

If this chili wasn”t so filling I would probably eat the entire pot myself. It is that good.

Do you have a cooking/baking nemesis?

Favourite Chili

  • 1 pound lean ground beef

  • 1 onion, chopped

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 tablespoons chili powder

  • 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin

  • 1.2 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 2 cans (19 oz each) kidney beans

  • 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes

  • 1 cup beef broth

  • 1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies

  • 1 cup corn (fresh, frozen or canned)

  • shredded cheese, sour cream and corn chips, to serve

Brown the beef, onion and garlic in a large sauce pot  or Dutch oven over medium heat, until meat is cooked through and onions are tender (drain off fat, if necessary). Add spices, stir to coat. Add beans, tomatoes, broth and chilies. Bring to a simmer. Lower heat and simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes. Add corn and cook until heated or cooked through. Serve with cheese, sour cream and chips, if desired.

Makes: 8 servings

Adapted from KraftCanada.

My Mom”s White Chili

By in Fall, GF Mains, Gluten Free, Main Dish, Poultry, Recipes, Soup 21 Comments Tags: , , , , , , ,

My Mom”s White Chili

Many times I have morned the loss of some sort of food item that I thought I would never find here in Norway. Most of them I have let go of, knowing that I need to embrace these cultural differences and use them to make me a better cook. But, every once in while I get a delightful surprise and discover one of these long lost joys hidden amongst the shelves of one of my local grocery stores. Every time I find something new I have to resist the urge to jump up and down, squealing with glee. Some days I am able to cooly reach over, keeping my face precariously still so that there is not even a twitch to show how excited I really am inside. Other days I just cannot contain myself. When I finally discovered some canned green chilies at a newly found grocery store, I didn”t even have time to think before I yelped out a “yay” and let loose with a little hop (to my own horror). I cannot say this emphatically enough: I HEART GREEN CHILIES!

One of my favourite uses for green chilies is my Mom”s recipe for White Chili. This has been a favourite of mine for years. And, since my husband doesn”t care for the ground beef-tomato version (I know, shocker!), this is what I make when we are in the mood for chili. I must admit that I do enjoy the regular old chili myself, but if I was given the choice I would almost always choose this one. It is soo flavourful, spicy, creamy and comforting. And, no tomatoes! Great for those of us who get indigestion just from glancing at a tomato.

I like to serve this with tortilla chips. In fact, they replace my spoon. I also think that Smitten Kitchen”s Jalapeno-Cheddar Scones would go marvellously with this. I haven”t made them yet, but they are very high on my to make list.

If you are in the need for a chili-change-up I highly recommend that you give this recipe a try, and let me know what you think!

White Chili 46 (1)

White Chili

  • 1 pound chicken breast, cubed

  • 1 medium onion, chopped

  • 1.5 tsp. garlic powder (or 3 cloves, minced)

  • 1 Tbsp. oil

  • 2 cans (15.5oz each) white kidney beans

  • 1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth

  • 2 cans (4 oz each) chopped green chilies

  • 1 tsp. oregano

  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper

  • 1 tsp. ground cumin

  • 1 cup sour cream

  • 1/2 cup half and half

  1. In a large saucepan saute the chicken, onion and garlic in oil, over med. heat, until chicken is cooked through.

  2. Add beans, broth, chilies, and spices. Bring to a simmer.

  3. Add sour cream and half and half just before serving. Heat up but do not bring to a boil or it may separate.

Serves: 4

* I often substitute the white kidney beans for butter beans for a richer flavour.

* If you are in a pinch you can chop up some canned jalepenos in place of the green chilies, but only put in half the amount.

* If you do not have enough broth, use enough water to substitute and add some chicken bouillon.

* You can sub half whipping cream and half milk for the half and half. I have also made it before with regular milk and soy milk. Tastes just fine it”s just a little more soupy.

* This is not one of those chili”s that you want to have simmering on the stove all day. I would not let it simmer for longer then 30 min. or it will loose most of it”s flavour.

Print Recipe