Chocolate Chipotle Chicken Chili

So I am facing another day of not getting called to teach so since the ground is covered in snow and my dog is passed out snoring, I decided why not make dinner now at noon. I have been craving chilli so I searched my pantry for interesting things to add to it instead of the usual ingredients. I had some leftover chicken thighs in the fridge so I started there and pulled the meat off the bone. Then I had a few peppers and onions so I chopped those and added a few cloves of some kick ass Polish garlic that our exotic “garlic lady” recommended. (Of course she grows it all locally.) Then I found a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce so I chopped up a few of those. I added some black beans and tomatoes from the garden this past summer. Then I tasted it and it needed something else. I looked and looked for the magical ingredient and alas I found it… unsweetened chocolate. It added a nice flavour and thickened up the chilli very nicely after given time to simmer. The only thing it is missing is probably a hint of cilantro but it will have to do without because I am not going back to the store to get it. After simmering for awhile the flavours all came together and when I tell you I may have gone over bad with the chipotles, I mean it. This chilli is not for the weak at heart, but rather for ones with dragon like senses like myself… Enjoy!

Chocolate Chipotle Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

1 red pepper, chopped

1 yellow pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 rib of celery, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

Chopped chicken breast meat or leftover chicken cut in pieces
3 TBS brown sugar

1 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder

2 TBS chilli powder

1-2 tsp of cumin

2 TBS chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

Salt/ pepper

1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups chicken broth

28 oz can of diced tomatoes, with juice

2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped

Green onions, for garnish

Sour cream, for garnish

Avocado Slices, optional garnish

 

Directions: Saute onions, peppers, garlic and raw chicken until veggies are soft and chicken is cooked. If using leftover cooked met, then add the meat after the veggies are cooked.

Add the sugar through the tomatoes and cook to a boil. Turn the heat down and add the chocolate slowly until desired taste is reached. Continue to simmer until chilli reaches the desired thickness.

Top with a dollop of sour cream, an avocado slice, and chopped green onions.

Serve with cornbread.

Warning: This is very spicy, but really good!