A Super Simple Fire-Roasted Chicken Chili (or Vegetarian Chili) Recipe

I have always loved this chicken chili stew. It’s full of flavor and now my favorite meal for a rainy day at any time of the year.

Many years ago, I took a training course for fitness managers at the Institute for Aerobics Research (The Cooper Clinic). I ate lunch in their cafeteria and came across a wonderful chili. I purchased their book, What’s Cooking at the Cooper Clinic, to get the recipe. Over the years, I changed the recipe to suit my taste preferences and increase nutrition.

Use High-quality Ingredients for This Chicken Chili

The original recipe always tasted great and I made it that way for years. But since I am concerned with quality, I knew I would change the recipe. First, I decided to use higher-quality ingredients. Next, I adjusted it to suit my taste preferences. I love fire-roasted tomatoes, which make up the foundation of this recipe. Now let me share all the health benefits of tomatoes:

• A medium tomato has about 22 calories, 5 grams of carbohydrate, and 1.5 grams of fiber. It makes a perfect snack.
• Tomatoes are a good source of the antioxidant lycopene and good for you! For instance, lycopene benefits heart health and may also reduce the risk of prostate cancer in men (1).
• Tomatoes are a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, folate, vitamin K, and potassium. They provide excellent support for immune health. (Get my free guide for Building a Strong Immune System.)
• Along with the beta carotene and lutein in tomatoes, the lycopene in supports healthy vision.
• The combination of tomato paste and olive oil may also protect against sun damage and boost collagen production according to one study (2). So this makes tomatoes especially good for skin health.

Serve this chicken chili with Pamela’s Gluten-Free Cornbread mix. Add a green salad with Italian dressing for the perfect gluten-free meal. For a vegetarian option, simply omit the chicken and add more beans.

REFERENCES

1. Fraser, G. E., et al. (2020). “Tomato consumption and intake of lycopene as predictors of the incidence of prostate cancer: the Adventist Health Study-2.” Cancer Causes Control 31(4): 341-351.
2. Rizwan, M., et al. (2011). “Tomato paste rich in lycopene protects against cutaneous photodamage in humans in vivo: a randomized controlled trial.” Br J Dermatol 164(1): 154-162.

Print Recipe

Fire-Roasted Chicken Chili Recipe

This is a simple recipe you can make in your slow cooker. It's full of flavor and you can adjust the ingredients to suit your taste preferences.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time35 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 16 oz organic chicken breasts
• 2 tbsp Italian salad dressing Simply Organic Italian Salad Dressing mix with extra virgin olive oil and apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup sweet onion chopped
• 1 clove garlic crushed (Dorot frozen crushed garlic - 1 cube)
• 2 cans crushed fire-roasted tomatoes Muir Glen - 14.5-ounce cans
• 1/2 can organic kidney beans drained (Eden Organic 15-ounce can)
• 1/2 can organic black beans drained (Eden Organic 15-ounce can)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 can of tomato paste
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp unrefined sea salt or pink Himalayan
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup salsa mild (Use spicy or Picante sauce based on your taste preference.)

Instructions

• To prepare the chicken, cut the breasts into one-inch pieces. Marinate in the Italian Salad dressing overnight or for at least 2 hours. (I prefer to also pound the chicken with a meat mallet so it comes out tender.)
• Cook the chicken pieces in a skillet over medium heat until fully cooked (about 5-8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken).
• When the chicken is done, place it in the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients. Cook in the slow cooker for several hours on low or cook in a large saucepan on the stove until hot.

Notes

Simply omit the chicken and double the beans for a vegetarian option. Add a green bell pepper and yellow pepper for more color and different flavors. I usually serve this with Pamela's gluten-free corn bread and a green salad for a quick healthy meal.