Crock Pot Red Chicken Chili um,,, Stew??? Soup??? Nah, Chili

Yesterday was going to be one of those days .  We all get 'em, and on good days we can see 'em coming.  Pretty much from the start of business hours, I was going to be a couple of hours behind and spend the day trying to catch up.  And sure enough, it was indeed, one of those days.

But, seeing that in advance is a great excuse to break out the old busy day equalizer... the Crock Pot!

"'Cause if it ain't ready at 6 AM, We Ain't going to eat tonight".

What's better on a busy day than knowing you have a favorite dish simmering away while you run yourself ragged.  And this is indeed a favorite.  I did spend a bit of time researching the Internet trying to find the difference between a Chili and a Stew (or even a Soup).  That was a waste of time, as about as many sites that claimed to have an answer, all gave different answers.  For me, it's like the old definition of pornography... Can't really define it, but I know it when I see it.

So, this is my Chicken (Thank you Rotisserie Chicken) Chili recipe.  Thanks to the crock pot and the hours of simmering, all those flavors mix, mingle and especially merge together into a delicious meal.  Perfect for fall weather and one of those days!.

Before I get to the recipe, I want to share one more time the story of "the omelette that hot me on the head like an apple".  While I was making this dish (at 5:30 AM), I was planning my breakfast (simple scrambled eggs).  once I got to the step just prior to adding the MArinara Sauce, I noticed what a perfect topping for a "Pre-leftover Chicken Chili Fluffy Omelette".  If you are making this, consider breakfast as well...

But I digress.

One note about this recipe, I am using a name brand, a can of Ro-tel Original formula Diced tomatoes and Green Chilis.  You can certainly substitute an unseasoned can of tomatoes if you like (and want to avoid the heat), but honestly the single can adds a great deal of texture (the chunky tomatoes) and the spices from the chilis.

OK... Here's what I did...

Crock Pot Red Chicken Chili um,,, Stew??? Soup??? Nah, Chili

Ingredients

• 2 TBS Olive Oil
• 2 Medium Carrots, pealed and sliced and/or diced
• 1 Medium Onion, Diced
• 1 Large Red Bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
• 3 Stalks Celery, sliced
• 5 Cloves Garlic
• 2 TBS Chili Powder
• 4 TBS Cumin (secret weapon, love Cumin in this)
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) Ro-Tel original chopped Tomatoes and green chilis
• 4 Cups Marinara Sauce (homemade is best, but store bought is fine)
• 2 Cups Chicken Stock
• 1 large Can Chili Beans, drained and rinsed
• ALL Meat from a 3 pound Rotisserie Chicken, Diced
• A Glop of Sour Cream for garnish
• A Couple Scallions (green onions) sliced for garnish

Cooking Directions

1. In a heavy bottomed saute pan, Heat the Olive Oil over medium heat.
2. Add the Carrots, onion, Celery, Pepper and Garlic. Saute for about 5 minutes until the onions turn clear and the carrots start to soften.
3. Add the chili powder and Cumin and continue to stir for a couple of minutes.
4. Add the can of Ro-Tel Tomatoes, UNDRAINED (add the tomato water as well).
5. Move all of this to a LARGE crock pot. Add the marinara Sauce and stir to combine
6. Add the Chicken Stock to thin the Chili so it stays wet all day while it simmers.
7. Add the drained beans and finally add the meat from the Rotisserie Chicken.
8. OK, everything is already cooked. So we are simply simmering to combine flavors. So, set your crock pot on medium, cover and allow to meld for at least 4 hours... I left mine for 12.
9. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and sliced green onions and ENJOY!

Perfect Comfort food, Extra nice for when you are having "One of those days",

Soups, Stews and Chilis (especially this Chili) are among the best uses for a Rotisserie Chicken.  Adding the ease of cooking with a Crock pot and this is such a winner!  Proud to add this to one of my "52 Uses For a Rotisserie Chicken" Series!

But wait, THERE's MORE to this as it is also....

This soup is absolutely delicious, sure to please.  And I am pleased to list this as one of my "52 Recipes for Soup, Chili or Chowder"

And if you think you might want to give this soup a try yourself (very easy), please take a minute and "Pin" it to your Pinterest Boards.  And if you want to see more of my Chicken or Soup Recipes, feel free to join the fun and Follow me...