Super Bowl? Time for Chicken Enchilada Chili

Chicken Enchilada Chili has become a staple in our home, particularly for big gatherings such as a Super Bowl party.

A couple of years ago, I adapted it from its original to avoid items on the “Bad Foods” list – such as wheat – so that it’s gluten–free and even could be made dairy free.

Much of the problem with commercially prepared soups is the addition of unhealthy oils, which can cause inflammation, and wheat. Made-at-home soups often call for condensed soups as a base, and many of those options include wheat.

This soup, though, cleaned up and made healthier, has become a family favorite – no matter my tweaks.

When I took a slow-cooker of this Chicken Enchilada Chili to our church youth group’s “Chili Cookoff,” it even won first place. We had no election monitoring, and both of my teenage boys in attendance, I can’t defend against any allegations of voter fraud.

You’ll just have to try it for yourself to see if it’s worthy.

First, this recipe call for canned goods – black beans, diced tomatoes, enchilada sauce and cream of chicken soup.

So, read labels to make sure you’re only getting the good stuff in the cans. The fewer ingredients, the better. When possible, I buy organic for this reason – only beans, salt and water in there. Some brands add fillers that make you just wonder, why?

And the biggie that I mentioned before – wheat in the “cream of” soups. Look for a gluten-free brand (i use Pacifica) or make your own.

The recipe also calls for frozen whole-kernel corn, but the problem with corn nowadays is that most of it grown in the USA is genetically modified, and GMOs haven’t been tested enough to know their full impact on our health. Find one that is verified GMO-free:  http://www.nongmoproject.org/learn-more/sweetcorn/

You also could use diced zucchini in place of the corn – for fewer carbs and sugars.

Finally, it’s possible to make this dairy-free, substituting with plain, unsweetened almond milk and non-dairy cheese. We also like to top it with avocado, sour cream and crushed tortilla chips sometimes. Enjoy!

Chicken Enchilada Chili

• 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 10-ounce package frozen whole-kernel corn (GMO free) or 1 diced zucchini
• ½ cup chopped onion
• ½ cup chopped bell pepper
• 10-ounce can enchilada sauce
• 10.75 ounce can gluten-free condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1-½ cups milk
• 1 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese
• 2 chicken breasts
• Sour cream, avocado, jalapenos, crushed tortilla chips – optional

In a slow cooker, combine the beans, tomatoes, corn or zucchini, onion, and bell pepper. Place 2 chicken breasts on top of that. In a separate bowl, whisk together the enchilada sauce and soup, and then whisk in the milk until it’s all smooth. Pour the sauce over the other ingredients in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours. Remove chicken and shred into pieces, then stir it back into the chili. Add toppings and serve.

If you give this a try, let me know what you think and which tweaks you made!

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