LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) – It’s National Soup Month and we’re kicking it off with a variety of chili options: beef, chicken and vegetarian. One of these is sure to tickle your tastebuds. The bonus? They’re all easily prepped ahead and adapted for the slow cooker.
Food blogger Debbie Arnold visited THV11 This Morning to show us some recipes:
Slow cooker Spicy Smoked Chicken Chili
Ingredients:
• 6 cups smoked chicken or turkey (breasts, thighs or a combination), chopped or shredded
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 teaspoons cumin seed
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 cups chopped poblano peppers
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2-3 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground ancho pepper
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 32 ounces low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cans Rotel™(a combination of Mexican and regular)
• 1 – ½ jalapeño, minced
• 2 chipotle chilies in adobo, minced
• 1½ cups finely crushed tortilla chips
• One 13.5-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• One 13.5-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• One 13.5-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1-1½ cups frozen whole kernel corn
• ½ cup chopped cilantro plus additional for garnish
• 1 can additional Rotel™, optional (or diced tomatoes)
• For serving: lime wedges, grated cheese, pickled jalapeños, chopped cilantro, sour cream, corn chips
Directions:
1. Chop or shred smoked chicken; set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add cumin seed and toast until just fragrant; add chopped poblanos, onions and garlic. Sauté until tender.
3. Add cumin, ancho pepper, salt and black pepper to poblano-onion mixture and stir to coat. Sauté 2-3 minutes.
4. Add chicken to slow cooker insert along with poblano-onion mixture. Add two cans of Rotel. Pour chicken broth over it all.
5. Add in minced jalapeno and chipotles. Stir in crushed tortilla chips.
6. Cover and cook on LOW 6-8 hours, stirring once or twice.
7. Approximately ½ hour before serving, stir in beans, corn and chopped cilantro.
8. Stir in additional can of Rotel or diced tomatoes, if desired.
9. Spoon chili into serving bowls and garnish as desired.
Vegetarian Sweet Potato slow cooker chili
Ingredients:
• 2 teaspoons cumin seed
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 jalapeño, minced (optional)
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons unsweetened dark cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 Tablespoons Williams Chili Seasoning (or to taste)
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 28-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 150-ounce can Bush’s Chili Beans (pinto), undrained
• 1 15.5-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15.5-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15.5-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 medium sweet potato (about 8 ounces), peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces (substitute Hubbard squash or pumpkin)
• sour cream, sliced scallions, sliced radishes, and tortilla chips, for serving
Directions:
1. In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the onion, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, cocoa, cinnamon, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Add the tomatoes (and their liquid), beans, sweet potato, and 1 cup water.
2. Cover and cook until the sweet potatoes are tender and the chili has thickened, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours (this will shorten total recipe time).
3. Serve the chili with the sour cream, scallions, radishes, and tortilla chips.
Ingredients:
Chili:
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 pounds ground beef 80/20
• 1 14-ounce can dark red kidney beans
• 1 14-ounce can light red kidney beans
• 1 14-ounce can pinto beans
• 1 14-ounce can black beans
• 2 cans diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel™)
• 1 4-ounce can tomato paste
• 1 4-ounce can chopped green chiles
• 1 packet chili seasoning (I use Williams Chili Seasoning.)
• 1 packet dry ranch dressing mix
• 2-3 Tablespoons brown sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste
Cheese Grits:
• 1 pound Velveeta, cubed (I also add in a bit of shredded Jalapeño and Habañero Cheese Blend.)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 pounds ground beef 80/20
• 1 14-ounce can dark red kidney beans
• 1 14-ounce can light red kidney beans
• 1 14-ounce can pinto beans
• 1 14-ounce can black beans
• 2 cans diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel™)
• 1 4-ounce can tomato paste
• 1 4-ounce can chopped green chiles
• 1 packet chili seasoning (I use Williams Chili Seasoning.)
• 1 packet dry ranch dressing mix
• 2-3 Tablespoons brown sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. In a 5.5qt heavy-bottomed pot, saute onion in a swirl of olive oil until tender. Stir in garlic and saute until fragrant. Add ground beef and cook until browned. Drain just a bit of liquid off of the top of the cans of beans, and pour into the pot. Pour the tomatoes and chiles into the pot with the juice. Add in the remaining ingredients. Stir well. Bring just to a boil, reduce to a simmer and allow to simmer on low for at least 30 minutes. Add a can of water if you prefer your chili more liquidy than thick.
2. Meanwhile prepare cheese grits. In a 4qt saucepan, bring water, milk, butter and salt just to a boil and whisk in grits, whisking constantly so they do not clump. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook grits until they've expanded and gotten creamy, about 7-8 minutes or so. Over low heat, stir in cheese and garlic powder. Stir until cheese is melted and grits are smooth. Stir in jarred jalapenos and juice. Taste as you go! Add more milk or butter a little at a time, stirring over low heat until the grits are creamy, creamy, creamy.
3. Serve in shallow bowls ladled with just enough grits to cover the bottom of the bowl, then filled with chili. Top with sour cream, chopped red onions, avocado slices, sliced scallions or whatever else sounds good!
For more recipes from Debbie Arnold, click here.