Chicken Taco Chili

Here's a great healthy recipe that a friend gave me from "skinnytaste.com" that I altered a little.  When I was faced with the challenge of feeding growing teenagers who didn't like lots of vegetables, I found ways to sneak them into dishes like this!

I prepare this "Rachael Ray" style - chop and add to the pot as you go.  It needs to simmer for 30-45 minutes once everything is added.  Serve with rice, taco chips or pasta, and top with a dollop of sour cream or cheddar cheese and some fresh cilantro.

1.  Chop one large onion, mince a couple cloves of garlic, and brown them in a couple tablespoons of oil slowly in a heavy-bottomed pot.  I like to give onions some time to caramelize before adding everything else.

2.  While that's going, chop 2 bell peppers (I love red and yellow!), a carrot, and some cabbage.  Add them to the pot and let them cook down for about 5 minutes.

3.  Here are some more ingredients:  2 cans black beans drained, 2 cans chopped tomatoes (I use my frozen garden tomatoes), 1 can green chilies, Taco Seasoning Mix - Add all these plus, 1 Tbs cumin, 1 Tbs chili powder, 1 jalapeno pepper chopped, 3-4 Tbs tomato paste,1-2 cups frozen corn, 2-3 tsp salt...

 and a 3 pound bag of boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into large chunks like this...



4.  Bring it to a boil, then turn the heat down to simmer and let it cook slowly for 30-45 minutes.  My guys love the flavor and all the meat in this.  I love getting all those vegetables into them!!

I like that I can control the fat content by adding the amount of cheese or sour cream I want to each serving!

This makes a lot and freezes beautifully.  I fill a Pyrex container for the next week!  Let me know what you think of this one...