Hawaiian Chili

I knew going into this weekend I was going to need a quick chili recipe. I had a lot on my plate and not a lot of time to get everything done, so I went with a chili I could put together in about 30-40 minutes. The end result came out pretty amazing, and my wife said it is the best chili I have made so far for this series (click here to see the other chili recipes).

This chili takes advantage of the fact that chicken can be cooked quickly and yet still stay moist, unlike some cuts of beef and pork. As far as the chicken goes, I like to use a mix of breasts and thighs for this dish.  Both cook up quickly and retain their moisture well because of the cooking method. This, combined with jarred salsa, canned beans, and canned pineapple, means prep work is kept to a minimum and cooking time is reduced to just long enough to cook the chicken and blend the flavors. No long simmering necessary.  If cooking this chili the day ahead, save the pineapple for adding right before serving.


Hawaiian Chili

2-1/2 lbs boneless chicken breasts and thighs
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large white onion, diced
2 poblano peppers, seeded and diced
3 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
3 cups chicken broth
1 jar (16 oz) salsa
3 cans (14 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (20 oz) pineapple tidbits, drained

Cut chicken into 1/2 inch chunks. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook chicken in one Tbsp of the oil until no longer pink. Remove from pan and set aside.

In same pan, cook onion and peppers in remaining oil until softened, about 4 minutes. Add chili powder and cumin. Cook and stir 1 minute. Return chicken to pan and add broth and salsa.  Bring to a boil.

Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.  Add beans and pineapple.  Simmer five minutes longer, or until beans and pineapple are heated through.  Season to taste with salt and pepper, if needed.

Next week:  Pork Chili Verde