If we’re being honest, as with the majority of our meals with puns in the recipe title, we thought of the name of this chili before we tried to figure out how the heck to make it. With that said, this recipe was truly an experimental one. Normally, when we make Chili, we use some sort of tomato component. There have been a few exceptions where we’ve used pureed white beans (can’t well use tomatoes for a white chili) or coconut milk, but in general, one of the first things we look for in the pantry when we start making chili is tomato paste or Canned Tomatoes.
For this particular chili, we skipped tomatoes entirely and instead relied entirely on corn to make our sauce. The philosophical shift resulted in a chili with a distinct corn sweetness that morphed into a strong hint (implication?) of heat in every bite…only to have the palate reset with sweetness at the arrival of the next spoonful to the face’s loading dock. Dare we say, this was probably our most colourful chili to date as well!
Anyway, on to the recipe! We hope you enjoy!
Time: 5-8 Hours
Ingredients
- Meat of your choice. We used Chicken Breast, but Ground Chicken, Ground Beef, and Ground Venison would all be great as well.
- Kidney, Black, or Pinto Beans (or all three!)
- Red Fresno Peppers or Jalapenos
- Poblano Pepper
- Red Onion
- Corn two ways:
- Sliced off the Cob (or frozen)
- Grated off the Cob with a Box Grater (or chopped)
- Spices:
- Garlic Powder
- Ground Cumin
- Ground Turmeric
- Smoked Paprika
- Chipotle Chili Powder or Cayenne
- Optional: A little heavy cream to finish your chili
- Optional: Toppings. We suggest cheese or crispy jalapeno salad toppers.
Method:
- Start by prepping your corn.
- 1st half of your corn: Chop in your food processor (if using canned/frozen) or Grate with a box grater (if using fresh) Then, place this in your crockpot with a little water.
- Cut the rest of your corn off the cob, break it up, and set aside. If using canned/frozen, open and drain or defrost respectively. Set aside.
- Dice your onion and peppers. Leave as many seeds in your chili as you like depending on how spicy you want it. The sweetness of the corn will absorb and mute the heat, so don’t underdo the seeds. If you don’t use enough, fret not though…you can always add spices later.
- Heat some oil in a large, pan, and then add in your onions and peppers.
- As your onions and peppers cook, prep your meat by dicing your chicken breasts if using. If using ground meat, your meat prep is done for you. Then, after the onions/peppers have had a few minutes to begin to soften, add in meat, and sautee everything together.
- As your meat and peppers cook, add in your seasonings/spices.
- Once your meat has browned, add your whole corn kernels (bullet 2 from corn prep) and your beans to the pan. Stir to combine, and cook for a little longer (until the moisture in the bottom of the pan evaporates).
- Transfer your meat and veggies to your crockpot, and stir to combine with your grated corn.
- Set the heat to low, and cook for 4-8 hours.
- Taste occasionally, and add more spices as needed.
- Optional: If you prefer a creamier chili, fold in some heavy cream just before scooping and serving. Then, top your chili with whatever toppings you like.
- Plate, devour, and enjoy!
