Vegan Chili Recipe

September 28, 2017 No Comments A Well Crafted Pantry

A lot of my recipes feature meat because I love meat. However, I also really have to go meatless some days for a multitude of reasons. When I’m craving a hearty meal without the meat I often look towards beans to give that hearty feel. This vegan chili recipe tastes a lot like a traditional chili, but all without the meat. This recipe is fairly mild in flavor because my family tends to like more mild dishes. I personally LOVE spicy foods so I pile on the spices as I build my bowl. But, if you prefer the spice in the dish then you can double or triple the jalapeno in the recipe or add your favorite hot peppers.

Vegan Chili Recipe

This recipe makes approximately 8-10 hearty bowls of chili. I cook this on the stove top, but you could certainly create in a slow-cooker for four hours.

Ingredients:

1 15.5 oz can pinto beans (drained)
1 15.5 oz can kidney beans (drained)
1 15.5 oz can black beans (drained)
1 10 oz can rotel (drained)
1/2 medium yellow onion diced
3 cloves garlic diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper diced
1 red bell pepper diced
1 green bell pepper diced
1 jalapeno diced
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes (drained)
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 6 oz can tomato paste
3 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (Note: Not all balsamic vinegars are vegan. Check to make sure gelatin isn’t used before using for a vegan dish.)
1 Cup Vegetable Stock
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions:

Sauté the onion, garlic, bell peppers, and jalapeno in olive oil until slightly softened.
Add in the beans, tomatoes, rotel, tomato sauce, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, vegetable stock and seasonings.
Cook on low for 30 minutes. Let it come to a slow rolling boil until the liquid cooks down and the chili is thickened.

Top this dish with some chives or pickled jalapenos. Looking to just have a vegetarian version? Top with your favorite sharp cheddar!

Looking for more chili recipes?

See my bean and beef chili recipe and my chicken chili recipe. These are perfect for the slow-cooker!

A Well Crafted Pantry

Slow-Cooker Bean and Beef Chili Recipe

September 28, 2017 1 Comment A Well Crafted Pantry

I will make no claims to having the best chili recipe. As a matter of fact, some wouldn’t even consider this recipe a chili recipe because it contains beans (GASP!) but, whether or not it is a chili or a goulash, it is a DARN tasty recipe. When making chili I tend to make it pretty mild so that my family will eat it. I tend to bring a lot of the spice in my personal bowl of chili as I’m adding toppings. If you prefer a spicier chili from the get-go then I’d recommend doubling or tripling the amount of jalapeno in the recipe or adding in some of your favorite spicy peppers.

One of the things I love about chili recipes is that they are SO simple to create in a slow-cooker and to make in bulk to freeze some for later or easily serve a crowd. The recipe below can absolutely be made without the slow cooker, but I love the way the flavors come together while cooked low and slow.

Slow-Cooker Bean and Beef Chili:

(Mild to Medium spice level)

Ingredients:

3 lbs beef chuck processed in a food processor (or sub ground beef)
1 red bell pepper- diced
1 green bell pepper- diced
1 yellow bell pepper- diced
1 medium sized yellow onion – diced
1-2 jalapeno peppers- seeded and diced (1 for mild, 2 for medium)
4 cloves of garlic diced
1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can of red kidney beans (drained)
1 15 oz can of pinto beans (drained)
1 6 oz can of tomato paste
1 cup beef broth
2 TBSP of cocoa powder
3 TBSP Chili powder
2 TBSP Sugar
2 TSP Cumin Powder
2 TSP Smoked Paprika
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive oil

Directions:

Mix the chili powder, cumin, and paprika in with the ground beef and brown in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Strain the browned meat and put the meat into a slow-cooker along with tomato paste, sugar, cocoa, beef broth, kidney beans, and pinto beans.
In a saute pan heat 1 TBSP of olive oil on med-high heat and the saute the bell peppers, onions, garlic, and jalapenos until slightly soft. Add vegetables to the crockpot.
Mix ingredients. Cook on low in the slow-cooker for 6 hours.

Note: The meat has been cooked already so the chili can be eaten as soon as it has heated through. However, the flavors blend better over the course of the slow cook. Serve with you favorite chili toppings. Personally, I like a dollop of whipped cream, sharp cheddar cheese, and chives.

Think this looks good? You have to try my slow-cooker chicken chili as well!

A Well Crafted Pantry

Slow-Cooker Chicken Chili

September 28, 2017 No Comments A Well Crafted Pantry

I’m a big fan of chili during the fall months. A big, hearty batch of chili can be made for a crowd of hungry friends and family. Or chili can be made for a weeknight dinner and the leftovers frozen for future meals. More traditional chilis have a tomato base to them, however, every now and again I like to switch it up and try something new. This chicken chili was born from the desire to try something that wasn’t tomato based, but still gave the feel of a hearty chili.

The best part of this recipe is that it can be put together in minutes in the morning and cook throughout the day for a hearty evening meal with no fuss. Serve this alongside cheese quesadillas or cornbread. Toppings for this chicken chili can be anything that you traditionally enjoy on your chili or you can go with the toppings I chose to use: cilantro, pepper jack cheese, monterey jack cheese, and pickled jalapeños. You could even add a wedge of lime for a bit of brightness to this hearty dish.

This recipe is fairly mild. For more of a kick double or triple the amount of jalapeños or add in your favorite hot peppers.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Chili

(This recipe fits in a 7-Quart Slow Cooker and makes about 10-12 hearty servings)

Ingredients:

3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (thawed and whole)
2 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (thawed and whole)
1 28 oz can of Green Chili Enchiladas Sauce
2 4 oz cans of Green Chilis Diced
1/2 yellow onion diced
2 cloves garlic diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper diced
1 jalapeno seeded and diced (want more spice? Add more!)
2 15 oz cans of white beans (drained)
2 15 oz cans of sweet white corn (drained)
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Directions:

Saute the diced onion, garlic, bell pepper, and jalapeno in a saute pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil until just soft. Put in slow-cooker.
Add the chicken, green chili enchiladas sauce, diced green chili, garlic powder, and onion powder to the slow-cooker.
Cook on low for 7 hours.
Shred chicken with a fork and then add the corn and beans. Cook on low for 1 more hour or until heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Due to being cooked in a slow-cooker there tends to be quite a bit of liquid to this and it may resemble a bit more of a soup than a chili at first. You can thicken it with a flour or cornstarch slurry. However, I prefer not to thicken it. When I serve I pull up the beans and chicken from the bottom of the slow-cooker and leave the remaining liquid in the batch. The starchiness from the beans will help thicken it a bit once it cools and the second day batch will be even better!