Ok, I’ll admit I’ve been a little obsessed with my crockpot lately. I realize I’m a little late for the crockpot bandwagon. Better late than never right? It may be partly because once it’s out I’m a little lazy about putting it away, so why not use it again??? If you don’t have a crockpot, you could make this in a large pan and simmer for a few hours.
I wanted a healthy chile, stew, soup, or something-or-other that would be healthy, easy, and freeze well. So I made this Mexican Style Chicken Chili which combines a lot of vegetables, beans, and lean ground meat. I took the leftovers, and spooned it into small freezable containers. For a quick meal I can pull out the container and defrost quickly in the microwave. This chili is NOT spicy, but you can omit all the peppers or add more. I think next time I would add more.
I used green peppers, onions, and garlic, but you could substitute any of your favorite veggies and any kind of beans. I used a lean ground chicken but any kind of ground meat would work. If the meat is not lean, be sure to drain the excess fat before putting the meat and veggies in the slow cooker.
This recipe makes a lot so you’ll need a good size slow cooker. My slow cooker is 5-quarts and everything JUST fit. If your slow cooker is smaller, omit some veggies or cut the recipe in half. You can also use a large pot instead of a slow cooker. Just simmer everything for a few hours.
Garnish the chili with any of your favorite toppings such as sour cream, fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, tortilla chips, and lime wedges.
| (Slow Cooker) Mexican Style Chicken Chili |
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- 2 pounds lean ground chicken (or any ground meat)
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 large green pepper, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 (14.5 oz cans) diced tomatoes (no salt added), do not drain
- 2 (15.5 oz cans) your favorite beans (such as black, navy, etc.), drained & rinsed well
- 1 (7 oz. can) chopped green chiles, drained
- 1 lime, juiced & zested
- 2 teaspoons ground ancho chile peppers
- ½ teaspoon ground chipotle chile peppers
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- Toppings suggestions: fresh cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, lime wedges
- In a large nonstick skillet cook ground chicken, onion, pepper, and garlic until chicken is cooked through and vegetables just begin to soften, about 6-8 minutes. Drain any excess grease. Spoon meat and veggies into slow cooker (slow cooker should be about 5-6 quarts).
- Add tomatoes, beans, chiles, lime juice & zest, ancho chile pepper, chipotle chile, cumin, coriander, and salt and pepper to slow cooker. Stir to combine. Cook on low 6-8 hours.
SNAPPY SUBSTITUTIONS: I used 99% fat free ground chicken breast but you can use any kind of ground meat or meat substitute. You can also use different kinds of canned tomatoes, beans, and vegetables.
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This sounds similar to my chicken chili stew which I no longer have the actual recipe for, I just wing it now. But I use cubed chicken breast and Pace picante sauce to give some added flavor along with the tomatoes. I’ve never tried it in the crock pot, might have to give it a shot.
You don’t need to do it in a crock pot, but I was in a bit of a slow cooker addiction that week.