Cold, damp and rainy weather spark a natural urge in most of us to make a soup or stew to warm us up. This recipe for my Healthy Southwestern Chicken Chili has a slight kick of heat to it, but not so much that chili lovers can't handle. Even my children gobbled the whole bowl of this without mentioning the heat - there is just the right amount. However, if you are unsure about handling the heat, you can omit the cayenne pepper here - the chili will still be awesome!

This chili is guiltless as it contains many fat burning, low calorie and lean ingredients such as tomatoes, chilies, onions, peppers, corn, black beans and chicken as well as the southwestern spices that are also considered in the fat burning pool. The chili is thick, hearty, extremely healthy, packed full of texture and flavor and can still be classified as comforting.

Normally I serve chili with white or brown rice and maybe some crusty bread, but seeing as though I focused on calories and fat here, I served this recipe with a serving of tortilla chips, which were fun and great for scooping up this thick, hearty chili.


Spice Mix

2 tbsp. ground cumin
2 tbsp. chile powder
2 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. whole oregano, rubbed
1 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper

Mix the spices together well in a small bowl and set aside until needed.

Chili Ingredients

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium bell peppers (any color)
2 red chili peppers, seeded and diced
1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
2 tbsp. tomato paste
4 -5 cups cooked chicken, chopped
2 1/2 cups low-sodium Organic chicken stock
1 29 oz. can tomato sauce
1 small can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes with juice
1 small can (14 oz.) Organic black beans, rinsed
1 small can (14 oz.) Organic sweet corn, drained
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Tortilla chips

Method

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven over a medium flame, heat the oil and then add the onion, garlic, bell peppers and both chilies. Add a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions become opaque - approximately 5 - 7 minutes. Next, add the tomato paste and cook until incorporated and softened.

2. Add the chopped chicken and mix. Add the spice mix, incorporate very well, coating all of the ingredients, and cook for approximately 3 minutes to release the aromatic aromas from the seasonings.

3. Add the stock, tomato sauce and chopped tomatoes. Mix well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes to blend all the flavors together. Then, add the corn, black beans and cilantro and cook for 3 - 5 minutes more. Serve with tortilla chips.