Every Fall, the company my husband works for has a Chili Cookoff. Last year he lost by one vote (His own, because he felt guilty voting for his own chili, and voted for someone else, who won by one vote. Ha ha! He didn't make that mistake this year!). This year, he wanted to do something different and amazing and delicious. This recipe idea came from my sister, and we cooked it up the night before, and knew it would be a hit! And he won the contest!
That is a serious trophy to be displayed in his office for the next year.
Chipotle Chicken Chili
adapted from: Pionner Woman
2 Tbsp. oil
1 whole onion, diced (I used dehydrated)
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 chicken breasts, cut into a large dice
1 can of Rotel tomatoes
3 whole Chipotle Peppers in Adobe Sauce, minced (you buy this in a can)
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt (more to taste)
1 lime, juiced (more to taste)
sour cream, for serving
shredded cheese, for serving
cilantro, for serving
Heat the oil in a large pot, over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook for a few minutes until the onions are tender. Add the chicken and cook until it is cooked through and lightly browned. Stir in the tomatoes, chipotles, beans, chili powder, cumin and salt. Cover it and cook it for 1 hour. At this point, the Pioneer Woman calls for using masa harina as a thickening agent. We didn't use anything, and ours ended up with a perfect thickness. If you want it thicker, feel free to thicken it up right now. Stir in the lime juice and taste it to see if you need more salt, lime or even chipotles, if you want a little more of a kick.
Serve it with sour cream, cheese and cilantro.