How to Make Chicken Chili
Begin by cooking the chicken., Dice the onion., Add the ingredients to your crockpot., Cook the chili for 6-8 hours., Shred all the breasts., Return the chicken to the crockpot., Prepare the cheese and cilantro., Serve your crockpot creation.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Begin by cooking the chicken.
The two best ways to cook chicken for chili are by either simmering in a pan or by boiling.
These methods will help retain their moisture so they're not too tough when you later add them to the rest of the ingredients.
To simmer chicken, put about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of extra-virgin olive oil in a 12-inch frying pan and heat on medium.
As it warms up, lightly salt and pepper each side of the chicken breasts, place them top down in the pan and cook for 5 minutes until they are golden brown on the top.
Flip the breasts, add 3⁄4 cup (180 ml) water, cover and simmer over medium-high for 7-10 minutes.
Make a small slice in the middle of each to check for any pink.
If not, they’re done! To boil chicken, fill a medium-to-large pot about halfway with water and add the chicken breasts.
Turn the burner to medium-high heat until the water starts boiling.
Reduce the heat until the water is simmering and cover with a tight lid.
Cook for about 15-20 minutes.
Again, check to make sure they are fully cooked by slicing into them to ensure there is no pink in the center. -
Step 2: Dice the onion.
Dicing onions isn’t the most pleasant task.
In fact, it often reduces one to tears, but here are the basic steps.
First peel off the outer, papery skin, and then place the onion on its side on a cutting board.
Cut off the top of the onion (where the stem is), and then turn it so it’s sitting on the flat surface created from cutting off its top.
Now cut it in half.
Take one of the halves, lay it flat-side down and cut 1⁄4 inch (6.4 mm) slices lengthwise toward but not all the way through the end, or root, so the onion doesn’t fall apart.
Turn the onion and cut 1⁄4 inch (6.4 mm) slices perpendicular to the ones before, and the pieces will start to break away.
Do the same for the other half of the onion., Mix the onions, cannellini beans, corn, Rotel, chicken broth, green salsa verde, cumin, oregano and chili powder together in the crockpot.
Arrange the chicken breasts on top. , After about 6-8 hours, or when you get home from work, for instance, open the crock pot, remove a chicken breast and slice into the middle to make sure it’s not pink.
The chicken should also be very tender.
Aside from the time convenience of cooking with a crockpot, there’s also a nutritional advantage as well.
Because a crockpot cooks at a low heat level, it doesn’t suck out all the vitamins and minerals in food.As for chili, crockpots are a great solution because the longer you let chili cook, the more flavorful it will become.
It also takes the heat out of cooking chili in the summer since you’re not standing over a hot pot, stirring for a couple of hours.
You don’t even have to be at home while your food essentially cooks itself. , Allow the breasts to cool before you begin shredding or they will be too hot to handle.
The quickest way to do this is by putting them in a pan of cool water for a few minutes.
Once they’ve cooled down, you’re ready to proceed.
There are a couple of ways you can go about shredding.
You can pull the chicken apart with your hands and place the shredded pieces on a plate.
You can hold a breast with either one hand or with a fork and use another fork to tear the chicken into pieces and place the pieces on a plate., After you’ve shredded the chicken, put it back into the crockpot and stir everything together.
Heat for another 20-30 minutes to warm the chicken back up. , While the chicken is warming back up, get your toppings out and ready to go.
Shred the Monterey or cheddar cheese.
If it's in a refrigerated package, measure it out and let it sit so it's not as cold and hard when you put it on your chili.
Also wash, dry and prepare your cilantro.You can either top your chili with whole leaves, or you can top it with chopped cilantro.
To chop cilantro, simply gather the bunch in your hand and begin chopping from the flowering tops toward the roots.
Only chop off as much as you think you will use.
Then put the tip of the knife on the chopping board and rock back and forth over what you've already cut to create smaller pieces., Ladle the chili into serving bowls and top it off with either the Monterey or cheddar cheese (or both) and the cilantro. -
Step 3: Add the ingredients to your crockpot.
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Step 4: Cook the chili for 6-8 hours.
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Step 5: Shred all the breasts.
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Step 6: Return the chicken to the crockpot.
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Step 7: Prepare the cheese and cilantro.
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Step 8: Serve your crockpot creation.
Detailed Guide
The two best ways to cook chicken for chili are by either simmering in a pan or by boiling.
These methods will help retain their moisture so they're not too tough when you later add them to the rest of the ingredients.
To simmer chicken, put about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of extra-virgin olive oil in a 12-inch frying pan and heat on medium.
As it warms up, lightly salt and pepper each side of the chicken breasts, place them top down in the pan and cook for 5 minutes until they are golden brown on the top.
Flip the breasts, add 3⁄4 cup (180 ml) water, cover and simmer over medium-high for 7-10 minutes.
Make a small slice in the middle of each to check for any pink.
If not, they’re done! To boil chicken, fill a medium-to-large pot about halfway with water and add the chicken breasts.
Turn the burner to medium-high heat until the water starts boiling.
Reduce the heat until the water is simmering and cover with a tight lid.
Cook for about 15-20 minutes.
Again, check to make sure they are fully cooked by slicing into them to ensure there is no pink in the center.
Dicing onions isn’t the most pleasant task.
In fact, it often reduces one to tears, but here are the basic steps.
First peel off the outer, papery skin, and then place the onion on its side on a cutting board.
Cut off the top of the onion (where the stem is), and then turn it so it’s sitting on the flat surface created from cutting off its top.
Now cut it in half.
Take one of the halves, lay it flat-side down and cut 1⁄4 inch (6.4 mm) slices lengthwise toward but not all the way through the end, or root, so the onion doesn’t fall apart.
Turn the onion and cut 1⁄4 inch (6.4 mm) slices perpendicular to the ones before, and the pieces will start to break away.
Do the same for the other half of the onion., Mix the onions, cannellini beans, corn, Rotel, chicken broth, green salsa verde, cumin, oregano and chili powder together in the crockpot.
Arrange the chicken breasts on top. , After about 6-8 hours, or when you get home from work, for instance, open the crock pot, remove a chicken breast and slice into the middle to make sure it’s not pink.
The chicken should also be very tender.
Aside from the time convenience of cooking with a crockpot, there’s also a nutritional advantage as well.
Because a crockpot cooks at a low heat level, it doesn’t suck out all the vitamins and minerals in food.As for chili, crockpots are a great solution because the longer you let chili cook, the more flavorful it will become.
It also takes the heat out of cooking chili in the summer since you’re not standing over a hot pot, stirring for a couple of hours.
You don’t even have to be at home while your food essentially cooks itself. , Allow the breasts to cool before you begin shredding or they will be too hot to handle.
The quickest way to do this is by putting them in a pan of cool water for a few minutes.
Once they’ve cooled down, you’re ready to proceed.
There are a couple of ways you can go about shredding.
You can pull the chicken apart with your hands and place the shredded pieces on a plate.
You can hold a breast with either one hand or with a fork and use another fork to tear the chicken into pieces and place the pieces on a plate., After you’ve shredded the chicken, put it back into the crockpot and stir everything together.
Heat for another 20-30 minutes to warm the chicken back up. , While the chicken is warming back up, get your toppings out and ready to go.
Shred the Monterey or cheddar cheese.
If it's in a refrigerated package, measure it out and let it sit so it's not as cold and hard when you put it on your chili.
Also wash, dry and prepare your cilantro.You can either top your chili with whole leaves, or you can top it with chopped cilantro.
To chop cilantro, simply gather the bunch in your hand and begin chopping from the flowering tops toward the roots.
Only chop off as much as you think you will use.
Then put the tip of the knife on the chopping board and rock back and forth over what you've already cut to create smaller pieces., Ladle the chili into serving bowls and top it off with either the Monterey or cheddar cheese (or both) and the cilantro.
About the Author
Andrew Ramos
Enthusiastic about teaching practical skills techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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