BLACK BEAN, SWEET POTATO AND CHICKEN CHILI –Some times I find myself dreaming of being in a chili cook-off. This hearty, delicious chile with its earthy black beans, sweet potatoes, corn and tender pieces of chicken swimming in a sea of spicy tomatoes could be a top contender.
It has just the right balance of savory and sweet with a touch of smokiness and a pop of heat to wake up your taste buds. The starchy potatoes help thicken it and are a nice change from the usual kidney bean and beef chili. Beef doesn’t always win.
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Can you imagine the smells at such an event? I can’t. Just this one chili alone made every room in my entire house smell intoxicating. Not to mention all the taste testing you have to do.
A kind of heaven for hungry chili lovers.
You can use a rotisserie chicken to save time or omit the chicken entirely and double the beans for a vegetarian version.
BLACK BEAN SWEET POTATO AND CHICKEN CHILI
Ingredients
- coarse salt and fresh black pepper
- 1 pound boneless chicken breasts or 2 heaping cups rotisserie chicken cut in bite-sized pieces
- olive oil for sauteing
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 small bell pepper cut into small, thin strips
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups cubed sweet potatoes
- 2 cans 14 ounces diced tomatoes with the juices
- 1 can black beans rinsed
- 1 cup corn
- 1 tablespoon chile powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- for serving:
- shredded sharp cheddar or montery jack cheese
- sour cream
- tortilla chips
Instructions
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon oil to a Dutch oven or large soup pot set over medium heat and cook the chicken breasts on each side until cooked through in the center. Remove to a cutting board and cool.
- Add 2 tablespoons oil to the pot over medium heat and cook the onion and pepper (season with salt and pepper) until tender about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant.
- Add the sweet potatoes, tomatoes, black beans and corn. Season with the chile powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, about 1 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and add to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook about 35 minutes, stirring every so often and adding more seasoning as needed until sweet potatoes are tender.
- Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and/or tortilla chips.