Southwest Chicken Chili

My friend, Angela, shared this recipe with me. So good to eat, so good to your figure!! My family ate every last bite of this pot of chili. I took out some for Alyssa before I added the cheese at the end.

Again, I used leftover turkey. I'm sorry, it's soup season in Idaho, so you'll have to bear with me in my soup phase.

Southwest Chicken (or turkey) Chili
1/2 cup onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp olive oil + 1/3 cup olive oil
3 cups cooked and cubed or shredded chicken
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp oregano or italian seasoning
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 can (14 oz) chicken broth
2 cups drained Great Northern beans
1 (4oz) can diced green chilis
3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Saute onion and garlic in 3 Tbsp olive oil on medium low heat for 5 minutes. Add chicken, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Cook together for a few minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer for 20 minutes. I let it stand on the stove another 20 minutes and it thickened up quite a bit.

You could even freeze this and pop it in the crock pot on a busy day.

Beans, Beans, the magical fruit . . .

Newsflash: I grew up in Idaho. We don't eat beans--well, we eat the green kind out of the garden. But we didn't have rice and beans, black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, etc. I didn't like them anyway, so I didn't feel deprived.

The problem is that beans are SO good for you. Me. Us. I've learned to like them more as my tastes have "grown up". I like them tossed on a salad, or in soups. And Brad's dad made a mean pot of beans when he was here and I loved them. Dad, I need that recipe! My biggest problem is I have no idea what to do with them unless a recipe specifically calls for them.

So one day my sister-in-law, Kristin, makes this incredible recipe. She claims she doesn't cook, but I don't believe it. Well, I believe that she doesn't bake because her oven is spotless. Mine is a sad, pitiful mess. And technically, this recipe doesn't require 'cooking'. But it's soooooo good.

Is it bean dip? Or bean salsa? Or bean salad? I can't decide. I eat it on tortilla chips. I eat it on tacos. I eat it over rice. I eat it with chicken. I eat it with a spoon. I made it on Saturday and I've eaten it with almost every meal. I almost put it on top of the lemon bread. But then I got a hold of myself. It's still just as good today as the day I made it. In fact the picture below was taken 2 days after it was made. Still fresh as a daisy.

Take a look at this healthy deliciousness. Think you don't like beans? Try this recipe.
Ingredients
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can great northern beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can corn
4 - 5 tomatoes diced
2 avocados diced
1/2 bunch cilantro chopped

Drain all canned items. Rinse beans. Combine all ingredients into a bowl.

Vinaigrette
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar

Wisk together until combined. Pour over bean mixture. Toss.

Soup!

Remember how I am trying to find recipes with beans? I found one that I really like. It's simple, full of protein, and low fat. Best of all, it can be made easily if you keep your pantry stocked.

Bean Soup
2 cans Ranch Style Beans
1 can corn
1 can white hominy
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can diced green chilis
1 lb ground beef (browned with onion, salt, pepper)

Place all items in a crock pot and cook on low for 4-6 hours. I dump all cans in with their juices. You can add a little water if you like. I also added a small amount of salt and pepper.

And what's a bowl of soup without fresh homemade bread???

I'm thinking you could really jazz up this soup like we do the tortilla soup. A dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of cheese, some avocado . . . but it's good enough to stand on its own, too.

Side Note: When I cook ground beef, I always do it with an onion. I cook about 4 lbs at a time, then freeze them in 1 lb increments. It makes life so easy since it is ready for soups, casseroles, spaghetti sauce, etc.