With winter coming closer and closer to its end, we have realized that while we may be just about ready to say goodbye to the chilly weather, we aren't quite as eager to wave farewell to some of our most beloved winter foods. A hearty and comforting bowl of chili most definitely fits into this category, as we've always found this to be one of the go-to slow cooker meals to keep us warmed up throughout the cold months. Now, with this bright and spectacular recipe for lemon-lime chicken chili, we can enjoy our favorite dish all through the sunny seasons!
This bold recipe calls for ground chicken, fresh lemon and lime juice, feisty spices, delectable veggies, and fresh cilantro to kick-start our taste buds into shape! The brilliant thing about this recipe is that it only take 20 minutes to prepare, and can then be left to stew away to perfection in your very own slow cooker. The spice levels can be adjusted to suit the family Scoville scale, while the main protein can be substituted for leftover cooked chicken (shredded), or an even leaner alternative of ground turkey. However you adapt this stunning recipe, you are sure to find yourself going back for second (and third) helpings!
Slow Cooker Lemon-lime chicken chili
4
20 minutes
5 hours
5 hours + 20 minutes
2 14oz (396g) cans Great Northern Beans
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 poblano (or 1 jalapeno) chilies, deseeded and diced
2 small red onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1.5lb (680g) ground chicken
4 cups chicken stock
1 lime, juiced
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, stems chopped and leaves picked
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup (227g) creme fraiche, to serve
Drain the cans of Great Northern beans, and pour one can into the bottom of a 4 quart slow cooker. Using the back of a fork, gently mash the contents of the other can before tipping the mashed beans into the slow cooker. (This will help to add a lovely starchiness to the chili)
Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat and pour in the poblano chilies, the red onions, the chopped cilantro stems, the green pepper, garlic, cumin, garlic powder, ground coriander, chili powder and paprika. Cook for 8 minutes, or until the onions begin to appear translucent, and then pour the vegetables into the slow cooker.
Place the ground chicken into the slow cooker and pour over the chicken stock, the lemon juice and the lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours.
Serve with a spoonful of creme fraiche and a handful of fresh cilantro leaves.
For a leaner protein, feel free to substitute in ground turkey instead of the ground chicken!
