Chili Recipe

Growing up, chili was not my favorite food, however, the memories surrounding the eating of chili were very fond ones. My dad did all of the cooking in our family, and he was very much a “meat and potatoes” kind of guy. We had good, hearty, meaty meals every day, but his chili was reserved for Super Bowl Sunday. We were a football family, and one of my dad’s favorite days of the year was Super Bowl Sunday. When I was young, my parents would invite their friends over for the big game, and we would dine on delicious appetizers and my dad’s famous chili. His friends loved it, but at the time, I could take it or leave it.

It wasn’t until recently that I started to appreciate a really good chili. I do not eat a lot of meat, and I do not eat beef at all. The first time my girlfriend (whose name is also Molly) made this chili recipe with ground chicken, I was not expecting to like it as much as I did. This chili is amazing, and it truly warms you up on a cold winter’s day. She also introduced me to adding crushed up corn chips to chili which gives it a saltiness and crunch that I did not realize chili needed to make it delicious.
I promise you that you will not miss the beef (although you could definitely make this recipe with beef if you prefer). It is perfect to enjoy while you are watching the Super Bowl, or any time.

Molly’s Best Chili

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 large onion, diced small
• 1 red bell pepper, diced small
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• a pinch of red pepper flakes, (optional)
• 2 pounds of ground chicken
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 28 oz. can of petite diced tomatoes
• 1 28 oz. can of tomato puree
• 2 15 oz. cans of dark kidney beans, drained & rinsed
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• Corn chips, crushed into small pieces; sliced green onions; shredded cheddar cheese; and lime wedges for garnish

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until simmering.
2. Add the onion, bell pepper, chili powder, cumin, coriander, crushed pepper flakes, and brown sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes.
3. Increase the heat to medium-high, and add the ground chicken.
4. Cook, breaking up the chicken with a spoon, until no longer pink and starting to brown, about 5-6 minutes.
5. Add the minced garlic and cook for one minute longer.
6. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato puree, and kidney beans, and gently stir together until well combined. DO NOT ADD SALT. (Adding salt at this step will affect the texture of the beans).
7. Cover the pot of chili with a lid, and let it cook on low for one hour.
8. After one hour, add salt to chili to taste.
9. Replace the lid and cook on low for one more hour and serve with plenty of delicious toppings.

This recipe makes around 8 good sized servings. It can be made ahead, and it freezes beautifully. Some would argue that chili tastes even better the next day.