Friday, October 15, 2010

Buffalo Chicken Chili

Every Halloween our ward (church congregation) has a Chili Cook-off & Trunk-or-Treat. I've been in charge of the chili cook-off portion of it for the past 4 years so I always make sure to drum up as much interest in it as possible - and what kind of organizer would I be if I didn't bring a pot to put in the running!!?? I only make 2 chilies... regular chili & this one: Buffalo Chicken Chili. I was amazed at the number of entries we had this year. There were 20 pots of chili & 6 pots of white chowders! Holy cow! It was a fun night full of adorable kids all dressed up in fun costumes & on candy-induced sugar highs! LOL

What you'll need:


Ground turkey (or chicken, if you want), carrots, celery, onion, garlic, olive oil, butter, salt, pepper, chipotle chili powder, bay leaf, chicken stock/broth, tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, Frank's Red Hot sauce (sorry - just one of those 'brand snob' moments!)

First thing you need to do if dice up all your produce - the carrots, celery, onion & garlic. Make them small - like the size the of... hmmm.... (this is me trying to come up with a size comparison & not getting it!) Just bigger than a pea, I guess.


Put a pot on the stove & get it hot - medium-high. Put in about a tablespoon of olive oil - just turn the pan once, and add the butter. Once the butter is melted add the meat. Cook it 'til it's done, breaking it into small crumbles. You don't want big chunks of meat in this chili so go small!


Once the turkey is all cooked up (about 6-7 minutes) add in your veggies & spices. Give it a good stir & let it go for about 3-4 minutes.


Next you're gonna add all the liquids - the chicken broth, tomatoes & hot sauce. Depending on your heat tolerance you can go less on the hot sauce. I put 1/4 cup & the kids can't eat it. I can but after a few bite I start to feel the sweat beading up & my sinuses clearing! SO maybe if you're a light weight you should go for 2 Tbsp, instead of 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp).


Get it bubbling & then turn the heat down to low & let it simmer for about 30 minutes.


Smells SO good! Warm, savory chili, no beans, good veggies, white meat... and HEAT! Also, the Chipotle Chili Powder (I found mine made by the fancier line of McCormack spices) adds such a great, smokey flavor to this. Try it - you'll like it!

Buffalo Chicken Chili:

1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
2 pounds ground turkey or chicken
2 large carrots
3 celery stalks
1 yellow onion
5 big cloves of garlic
1 Tbsp chipotle chili powder
1 bay leaf
salt & pepper
2 cups chicken broth/stock
1/4 cup Franks Red Hot sauce (or less if you want less heat)
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
1 15-oz can crushed tomatoes

Put a pot over med-high heat & get it hot. Add oil & butter. Once butter has melted add meat. Crumble it in the pan until it's fully cooked - about 6 or 7 minutes. Add spices & produce. Let it cook another 3 or 4 minutes & add your liquids. Once it begins to bubble reduce heat & simmer for 30 minutes.

Great with crushed tortilla chips & blue cheese crumbles on top!

No comments:

Post a Comment

Counter