Chili weather

I've been meaning to post my chili recipe for a while now but haven't gotten around to it. In light of the arctic air that has blown in this week, I made a batch for a friend and got great feedback, so I promised her the recipe and figured why type it twice? Now you all can enjoy it. The recipe used to be my Nana's, then with a few modifications became my mom's, and now I've made it my own. All three taste great to me. Mine is different because it uses shredded chicken, but it isn't a white chili like most chicken chilis are. Try it and let me know what you think!

                                               (photo courtesy Caroline Frye, who loved my recipe!)

Nana's chili 3.0

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (Nana used ground beef, Mom uses ground turkey)

2 Tablespoons olive oil (the recipe card says shortening, but who the heck uses that? I guess Nana did...)

2 Cups chopped onion (I use one--I'm not a huge onion fan)

2 Cloves garlic (we usually use 4-6...)

3 Tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 cup chicken broth (the recipe says beef stock, but since we make it with chicken, we use chicken broth)

2 cans mild or original Rotel (the recipe calls for 28oz can of crushed tomatoes, but Rotel is more fun)

2 cans dark red kidney beans (the recipe calls for pinto--we have used those at times, but usually go with kidney)

I start with some olive oil in the bottom of my pot, add the onions and garlic, and stir until they are hot and slightly wilted. Then I add the chicken breasts whole (you can chop them up first, but I don't touch raw meat unless absolutely necessary) and the chicken broth, and bring that to a boil. While it's boiling, I add the spices, then drain and rinse the beans (you get rid of a lot of the excess sodium that way), and add in the beans and Rotel. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Stir occasionally, and once the chicken starts to fall apart, shred it and let it continue cooking as long as you want...we usually try for ALL day.

We serve it with cheddar cheese and Fritos, and I think a glass of sweet tea makes it complete.