Fiery Hot Chicken Chili aka Witches Brew

Okay people- if you are a consistent reader, you know I am one for extremes- "BEST EVER" appears in probably 95% of my posts.  =)
However, this recipe really is the best.
Every Halloween at school we have a "Cauldrons and Confections" potluck for United Way for the teachers.
Teams enter into the competition with a chili or soup (or both) and a dessert.  It's a blind taste test, $5 to get in to eat (which goes to United Way), and you vote on the winner.  One dish from each category wins.  The secretaries in the office head it up and decorate the conference room (we even get spooky emails.  Hilarious).  It's a riot.  Last year, someone brought "Boo Bee's" and they were scary bees made from cookies and such.  I didn't get it until I kept saying "WHO BROUGHT THE BOO BEES" and then I got it.  Ya.  Great fun.  =)  We have to make up names for the dishes, so I guess for right now it is "Witch's Brew".  I will come up with something more clever tomorrow.  Thinking of going with "spit" or some sort.

I don't mean to ruin the fun, but this is the recipe I am bringing (Plus, I think the only person from school who reads my blog is the person on my team... and that's because I make her read it.  Baha).  It is delicious.  My husband is a hearty-meal kinda fella (as in "soups aren't a meal"), and he adored it.  I was given the recipe by Susan Libby, a woman from our church (who is also hilarious) who invited us over for dinner a few weeks ago for a double date with her and her hubby.  Love it.  It's low fat and super easy.  The recipe says to saute your chicken, but I left an entire chicken in the crock pot while I was at school and took all the meat off and threw away the skin and bones when I got home.  All I had to do was add the other ingredients.  Also, I am usually a stickler on pricey ingredients and will leave them out.  The chili peppers in adobo sauce is $3.something for 1 can.  You will only use a quarter of it, but do not leave it out.  It makes a huge difference!  It called for bay leaf, but I don't have it and it was expensive.  Oh well!  Not missin' it.

Fiery Hot Chicken Chili

It's not so fiery or hot, don't worry!

Chili

• 1 tablespoon butter (I cut this down from two.  My chicken is already cooked.  You could leave it out!)
• 1 (20-ounce) package boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (I used half a chicken, de-boned and de-skinned)
• 1 medium (1/2 cup) onion, chopped (or 1/4 cup dried, minced onions- Daniel no likey onions)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons lemon pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt (I put in 3 tbsp minced garlic.  We like garlic!)
• 2 (14-ounce) cans chicken broth (I used 4 cups water+4 bullion cubes.  Meh, already had it)
• 2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans with jalapeños* (I used regular pintos and 1 can green chilis, as noted below)
• 2 (11-ounce) cans white shoepeg corn** (Yep, normal corn, too.  Cheaper and at Aldi!)
• 1 to 2 teaspoons chipotle chile peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Garnish

Finely chopped red bell pepper, if desired

Fresh lime wedges, if desired

Directions

Melt butter in 6-quart saucepan until sizzling; add chicken, onion, cumin, lemon pepper, oregano and garlic salt; cook over medium heat until chicken is no longer pink (6 to 8 minutes). Add chicken broth, pinto beans, shoepeg corn, chipotle chiles and bay leaves. Continue cooking until mixture comes to a boil (8 to 10 minutes). Reduce heat to low; cook, uncovered, 30 minutes.

Just before serving, remove bay leaves; stir in lime juice, sugar and cilantro.

To serve, top each serving with chopped red pepper and lime wedges, if desired.

*Substitute 2 cans pinto beans and 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles.  TIP- buy the little can of green chiles that are whole.  It's cheaper than the chopped and you get more in the long run!

** Substitute 2 (11-ounce) cans yellow whole kernel corn.

Bazinga!  Dinner.  Licious.