Say versatile because here it is. The basic, flavorful vegetable and bean stew is simply topped with uncut chicken in the crock pot so that its easy to leave out. To serve, stuff the baked bell peppers with the chili, use it in a taco shell or pair it with rice. If you decide to use the taco shells or rice, the unused sweet red peppers can be sliced into wedges and eaten raw as a truly amazing source of “immune system building” Vitamin C. Sounding flexible enough?
Ingredients:
1 cup(s) onion -- chopped fine
1 portobello mushroom cap(s) -- diced, or more
1 tbsp jalapeno pepper -- seeds removed, diced fine
16 oz(s) black beans -- rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cup(s) corn
15 oz(s) fire-roasted canned tomatoes
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp chili powder
1 cup(s) broth
24 oz(s) boneless chicken breasts
4 red bell pepper -- cut in half from top to bottom, seeded
Directions
1. Place onion, mushroom, jalapeno, black beans, corn, tomatoes, spices and broth in crock pot. Lightly salt chicken and place on top of vegetables and beans. Set heat on low and cook for 8 hours. Remove chicken, shred and then stir back into chili. Cook an hour longer if vegetables need more time.
2. Before eating, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place horizontally cut peppers in lightly greased baking dish. Bake until cooked but still retaining their shape, approx. 40 min.
3. If using chicken, remove it after 8 hours and shred with a fork before returning it to the chili. Lift chili from crock pot with slotted spoon and either fill baked peppers, tortillas, or top a bowl of rice. Serve stuffed peppers with a knife and fork to cut bites with pepper and chili together.
SERVING OPTIONS: Top with favorite Mexican food toppings like cheddar cheese, sour cream, guacamole, diced green onion, etc. Accompany entree with sliced fresh melon in season.
MORE SPICE: Add 1 tsp. garlic, fresh diced cilantro and/or 1-2 Tsp. cumin
STOVE TOP COOKING: Heat 2 Tbsp. cooking oil in skillet and saute lightly salted chicken split breasts 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside. Saute onion in skillet with more cooking oil if needed until softened, approx. 4 min. Add mushroom and jalapeno pepper and cook until mushrooms soften. Add black beans, corn, tomatoes and spices. (Do not use the broth unless more liquid is needed later.) Place chicken on top of chili, put lid on skillet and simmer gently until chicken is cooked through; approx. 15-20 min.. Check periodically to see if more liquid is needed. Remove chicken and shred with fork. Mix into chili or place in bowl to be served separately.
(adapted from blog.fatfreevegan.com “Chili Stuffed Peppers”)
