Chicken Salsa Chili – Keeping you Warm this Winter

Nathan Freeburg November 4, 2015 Chili, Dinner, Recipe, winter dinner

If there’s one thing I enjoy more than a home cooked meal, it’s a home cooked meal that is ridiculously easy to prepare. Like the recent lettuce wrap recipe, this chicken salsa chili recipe is quick and easy, good for you, and makes enough to keep or freeze as leftovers.

There are tons of chicken salsa chili recipes on the internet, but my favorite has always been the one from Cafe Latte on Grand Ave. I’ve been eating it since college. It’s comfort food at its finest. On a cold night, when you’re bundled up to escape the elements, a bowl of this makes everything feel right. The recipe below has been slightly adapted to make at home.

To say it is easy to make, would be stating the obvious. It is only slightly more complicated than opening up a bunch of cans and simmering on the stove. Of course, like any good chili, there are endless ways you can customize this to match your unique taste buds. Add a bit more chili powder or jalapenos for more spice. Add black beans instead of (or in addition to) the garbanzo beans. Whatever you want.

Serves: 4 – 6 adults

Time: 20 minutes tops

Ingredients

1.5 – 2 lbs high quality chicken breasts, chopped up into little pieces
1 yellow onion, diced
1 diced red pepper
3 tbsp chili powder (more if you like it spicy)
1, 4 oz can diced jalapeno peppers (more if you like it spicy)
1 -3 cloves garlic
2 cups chicken broth
1, 15 oz can garbanzo beans
1, 15 oz can kidney beans
2, 15 oz can diced tomatoes
1, 29 oz can tomato sauce
3 limes

Toppings

Toppings, like the frosting on a cake, is where your chili can share its unique personality. Eat it plain for the sake of simplicity, or load it up with any variety of the following;

Cheddar cheese
Sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt
Avocado
Cilantro
Green onions
Black olives
Hot sauce

Instructions

Saute the chicken in a large stock pot with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. You will eventually put all other ingredients in as well.
Add onion, chili powder, jalapeno’s and garlic. Cook until onions are soft.
Add chicken broth, beans, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce.
Heat until everything is nice and warm.
Add lime juice and toppings right before you serve it.
Enjoy!

Nutrition in Chicken Salsa Chili

This chili is so simple, consisting of basically just beans, tomatoes, chicken and a few spices. It is very basic, but those ingredients pack some nutritional zip. The beans contain large amounts of fiber and the chicken is full of protein. The tomatoes are full of vitamin C and B6. Tomatoes have even been shown to help reduce lactic acid buildup.

Making it a Meal

Traditional chili is accompanied by corn bread, which does make an excellent side for this, but unless you buy it from the store, it’s just more work. As mentioned above, I like to keep it simple. Corn chips or warmed tortilla’s make this an even more filling meal, with little to no extra work.

Add this chicken salsa chili to your menu this week and send us feedback about how customized it, and how spicy it was!

Nathan Freeburg

Nathan started running when he was 14. 20+ years later, he's still going. When he's not running, he enjoys exploring the city with his son, finding new restaurants with his wife, traveling, or backpacking. He loves dark beer, dark chocolate, and dark coffee.Nathan currently lives in Portland, Oregon, but works in Minneapolis and runs wherever he is. Favorite Minnesota running route is anything that takes him along the Mississippi River. Race Results.Nathan's day job is a Consultant with Leadership Vision in Downtown Minneapolis.

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