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Rants, observations, and home decorating... from a woman with no time for a blog.


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I’ve fallen and I can’t get up. (And I don’t know what to make for dinner, either!)

April 28, 2009 25 Comments

Rare is the evening where I have pre-planned a dinner menu. Rare is the evening when I haven’t just thrown together leftovers or stood in front of the fridge at 5:00 in a complete panic. (Or worse: stood in front of the fridge at 5:00, slack jawed, glassy eyed and muttering to myself like an idiot.)

Certain days (like today, where I painted two bathrooms, chased Grant around, did my mommy/wifey things, etc.) I can feel a bit, um, overwhelmed. There are also certain days where I feel like the biggest fraud of a home-maker.

Often those days go together like Domino’s and the delivery guy… like peanut butter and jelly (for dinner! yay!)… like scrambled eggs and failure…

It is on those days where I happily cheat. I cut corners. I take the easy way out. Thank you, thank you, thank you for Chicken Chili!

My dear friend, Jen, made her version of this for me and I demanded the recipe. (I may or may not have ridden her like a pony until she gave it up…..) I eventually tweaked it to the point that I now have a version of my own and consider it to be my recipe… but I must always give Jen the nod she deserves, because she started it all. (And she may or may not still have marks from my riding crop on her butt…)

This chili is more like a tortilla soup, but a bit thicker. It is incredibly forgiving. Translation? You can’t screw it up.

It freezes beautifully, and I always make a triple batch and freeze it for later. Nights like tonight? I pulled it out of the freezer at 6:00 and had it ready to serve by 6:30.
Yay!

Oh! And also? It’s very high in protein and very low in fat.
(Updated 4/29/2009 to participate in Extreme Makeover: Me Edition’s request of the week: Healthy Recipe. Go here for more healthy recipes.)

Chicken Chili
In a large stock pot, throw:

3 3/4 cups chicken broth
3 cups water
2 cans white beans (15 oz, drained)
2 cans black beans (15oz drained & rinsed)

2 cans pinto beans (15 oz drained)
2 cans corn kernals (15 oz drained)
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
2 cans drained diced tomatoes (15 oz.)
6 crushed cloves garlic
1 24 oz jar of salsa (I like Vons’ brand “Safeway Select Chipotle Salsa”)

2 1/2 pounds chicken thighs (I try to use boneless skinless thighs and sometimes I use chicken breasts or leftover chicken)

Stir until boiling, let simmer 25 minutes, remove chicken. When cool, pull chicken off bones and put back into chili.

Toss in the following and stir:
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp cumin
1 to 2 Tbsp oregano

Simmer, uncovered, for an hour or two.

(To be completely honest, I never measure these ingredients anymore… it’s just kind of to taste.) I top with grated cheddar or jack cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Serve with tortilla chips, or serve over rice.

Freeze leftovers for the next time you have a crazy day and need a quick dinner.

When I say that this is what’s for dinner, all 4 of my kids and my husband say “Cool!”

That’s the same as 4 stars in my book.

Please check out more recipes at Balancing Beauty And Bedlam, My Chihuahua Bites, Learning Together Hand In Hand, and Blessed With Grace.

Filed Under: concoction of the week, recipes

Comments

  1. Stephanie says

    April 28, 2009 at 5:45 AM

    I love chili and I always like trying new recipes!

    Reply
  2. J.J. says

    April 28, 2009 at 6:26 AM

    That looks soooo yummy! I’ll go check out the other blogs for recipes!

    Reply
  3. Housewife Savant says

    April 28, 2009 at 10:23 AM

    I’m like Stephanie; a Huge Chili fan, and I’m always up for another opportunity to make it, change it, and EAT it.

    Reply
  4. Jen says

    April 28, 2009 at 11:25 AM

    That sounds delicious, and I’m always looking for new recipes to try! Thanks for sharing – stop by today, I have an award for you!

    Reply
  5. Shawn says

    April 28, 2009 at 12:26 PM

    Sound yummy and like we would all have garlic seeping from out pores for the next week! 6 cloves? Dang Gina!

    Reply
  6. Lisa says

    April 28, 2009 at 12:54 PM

    It’s cold and rainy here today (Can you believe it’s Texas for goodness sake)and I’m thinking chicken chili for dinner (:

    Reply
  7. Vivienne says

    April 28, 2009 at 3:04 PM

    No problem with the garlic, Shawn.
    The cloves are smashed, not minced. They simmer, pretty much whole, for 2 hours or so… no overpowering in the chil (or in your pores).

    🙂

    Reply
  8. MiMi says

    April 28, 2009 at 3:22 PM

    Awesome recipe! Thanks for sharing, I need more recipes, because my family is tired of the same exact thing week after week.
    I guess I shouldn’t say I didn’t like Chasing Harry Winston. It was ok. It just took me FOREVER to get into it. Like half the book. But I wasn’t giving up because I too had put a hold on it at the library and patiently (yeah right) waited for my name to be first in the queue and very calmly (yeah right)RUSHED down to get it as soon as the library opened. No big thing. : )
    Have you read Emily Giffin? She’s good.
    I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Shopaholic series. I think I can relate with her problems and how it’s sort of like OCD when ya think about it.
    Macey

    Reply
  9. Kelli says

    April 28, 2009 at 3:41 PM

    Sounds yummy, I’ll have to add this to my recipes. I am having the hardest time planning meals and it ends up that we eat out and that’s not good. I’m trying but failing…gotta work on that.

    Reply
  10. Becky says

    April 28, 2009 at 4:54 PM

    I have a recipe for white chicken chili that is different that I too have tweaked until I consider it my own. It is something my all my kids and husband LOVE! (and I kindof feel like Martha Sterwart and a good housewife from making a real meal…I’m with ya on the not normally planning dinner) It too is like a chicken tortilla soup that is thick and we eat it with tortilla chips. Super Yum!

    Reply
  11. Jen - Balancing Beauty and Bedlam says

    April 28, 2009 at 7:23 PM

    Oh girl – you know I can relate to the 5:00 dinner issue, and this one is a winner. I love it that it freezes well – those are always ones for the must make list.

    Reply
  12. AndreaLeigh says

    April 28, 2009 at 10:10 PM

    yum! this sounds so great. have you ever tried making it in the crock pot?

    Reply
  13. heidi says

    April 29, 2009 at 12:43 AM

    Hold on *breathes in a bag* you don’t ever have a menu plan *breathes some more* how do you SURVIVE?!

    Reply
  14. Anissa says

    April 29, 2009 at 12:58 AM

    I love chicken and chili — wow I need to try that one. TFS

    Reply
  15. momma says

    April 29, 2009 at 1:48 AM

    this will be a keeper for me! i love dinners that make leftovers and my husband and i are giving our diet a “make-over.” high protein and low fat fit in great!!!

    Reply
  16. Tanielle says

    April 29, 2009 at 8:26 AM

    YUM!!! That sounds soo good, I need to give it a try! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  17. The Rambler says

    April 29, 2009 at 11:20 AM

    Okay…I’m the girl that is slowly coming out of her “Meal In a Box” closet.

    This might work.

    It sounds so damn yum!!

    Reply
  18. 3 Peas in a Pod says

    April 29, 2009 at 5:21 PM

    The recipe sounds great V! I’ll have to try it. My husband loves tortilla soup.

    Much love from NJ,
    Sue
    xoxo

    Reply
  19. onegirliegirl says

    April 29, 2009 at 5:22 PM

    That looks really good! I’m definately gonna make this and put it in my Mexican file!!

    Thanks for sharing!

    xoxo ~Lisa

    Reply
  20. Xazmin says

    April 29, 2009 at 5:48 PM

    I may be better at this one than the lasagna!

    But I still plan on making both!!

    Reply
  21. jennykate77 says

    April 29, 2009 at 7:01 PM

    Chicken Chili is yummo! Your version sounds delish! I’ll have to jot down the recipe. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  22. Lynn says

    April 29, 2009 at 7:55 PM

    Just yesterday when I dashed into the grocery store at 2:15 to pick up something for dinner, I looked around at the other self-checkouts and in my mind thought it is harried housewife hour. Coming up with s dinner plan is not fun. Most days I am a short order cook.

    Reply
  23. Mrs. Wright says

    April 30, 2009 at 12:31 AM

    Thanks for the recipe- that sounds great! I’m totally with you at 5pm with my mind on anything but dinner…

    Reply
  24. Amber says

    April 30, 2009 at 12:33 AM

    Yummy! I’ll have to try it. I was without internet for 3 days, and I had a hard time catching up. Didn’t even know you posted a recipe! How funny.

    Have a great day!

    Reply
  25. jenjen says

    April 30, 2009 at 1:38 AM

    Vivienne – I feel exactly the same way. About it all! I am usually overwhelmed when dinnertime hits. And I feel like a mom fraud. This week I went to the store with a copy of Martha’s Food magazine and got the ingredients for some of the recipes in there.

    I do so much better if I have a plan. Good job on the painting. Are you going to post some pictures??

    Your soup sounds delicious. Perfect and I love the idea of freezing it!

    Have a wonderful night!
    XOXO
    Jen

    Reply

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