We love our traditional chili con carne but sometimes it’s nice to change it up. Chicken, Bean, and Spinach Chili is a colorful and tasty way to give this winter comfort food a healthy twist.
Chicken breast is a great lower fat protein but sometimes it can get a little boring, a little bland if you will. Chili is a perfect wintry dish to add chicken to and will warm you on a cold damp evening. The longer you let it simmer the more the flavors meld together into a tasty hearty entree.
And the spinach… it doesn’t even taste like spinach by the time dinner rolls around. However, if you worry about complaints from the non-cooking gallery, chop the spinach really fine, as if it was a fresh herb. No one will even know it’s spinach if you don’t tell them. And no, I don’t suggest lying. I’m all for honesty. I just don’t share information that hasn’t been requested.
Chicken, Bean, and Spinach Chili
- Yield: 8 1x
Ingredients
- 1.5–2 pounds/ 4 cups cooked chicken, finely chopped
- 3 ounces/ 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
- 2 – 24 ounce cans crushed or blended tomatoes
- 1 – 16 ounce can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 – 16 ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeño, minced with/without seeds per preference
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Note: If using homemade beans, I use 1 cup each.
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in large stock pot (6-8 quart)
- Add onion, jalapeño, and garlic. Sauté until soft.
- Stir in spinach.
- Add chicken and stir in chili powder, cumin, oregano, cumin, salt, and cocoa powder.
- Mix in tomatoes and beans.
- Simmer over low heat for several hours or put in slow cooker on low for 4-6 hours.
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