Chicken Chili

This has been one hot summer.  It started with a very warm spring, which at the time was very welcome.  The gardens sprouted up early and everything was so nice and green.  Now everything is dry and brown. So even though it is only the beginning of August, I find myself dreaming of fall, wearing boots and long sleeves, and cooking up good comfort food.

One of my go to dishes as the air starts to get crisp is chicken chili.  This recipe is a nice balance between comfort food and eating healthy.  The fat count is nice and low and the protein count high.  Plus if you use a rostisseree chicken, the prep time is pretty easy.  You could also use fresh chicken, just add a few hours to the crock pot cooking time.  You can always do this on the stove, but of course the crock pot is great because you can get this going early in the day and then later when you are tired your dinner is already made.

Chicken Chili

1 tablespoon  olive oil

1 Rotisseree Chicken, meat only

1/2 onion -- chopped

2 cloves  garlic -- minced

1/2 green pepper -- chopped

15 ounces  kidney beans, canned -- drained

14.5 ounces  tomatoes, canned -- diced

1/8 cup  chili pepper, canned -- diced

1/2 cup  chicken broth

1 teaspoon  cilantro -- chopped

2 teaspoons  chili powder

1/2 teaspoon  cumin

1 tablespoon  ketchup

3 ounces  tomato paste

1 tablespoon  barbecue sauce

1 teaspoon  Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon  oregano

1/2 teaspoon  garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon  garlic powder

1 tablespoon  salsa verde

1 tablespoon  salsa

• Saute chicken meat in olive oil.
• Add onion, green pepper and garlic and saute a minute or two longer.
• Transfer to crock pot.
• Add remaining ingredients.
• Cook on low for 3 or more hours.

Serve over pasta (preferably whole wheat or brown rice pasta), or with bread, and variety of fixings such as shredded low fat cheese, chopped onions and minced chili peppers.