Chicken Chili

My favorite time to cook is when it is cool outside, and one of my favorite things to cook is soup. To me, soup is the ultimate comfort food. It also tastes great for left overs the next night or two, and most of them freeze well.
We really enjoyed this healthy and filling recipe. Aubrey loved the heat from the red pepper; he loves anything with heat. If you have a sensitive tongue, you may want to cut down or omit the red pepper. I loved the chunkiness (is that a word?) of this chili. The only change I would make next time is to use canned diced tomatoes instead of the canned whole tomatoes. I accidentally pureed the tomatoes too much and had to cut up a fresh tomato to make up for the lack of texture in the tomatoes.



Ingredients:
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
4 cups chopped yellow onion (2-3 onions)
1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 bell peppers, chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, finely diced
2 teaspoons salt
2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes in puree, not drained (or you can used diced tomatoes)
2 (15-ounce) cans beans (black, kidney, and/or pinto), drained and rinsed

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375-degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the chicken breasts on the foil, and season with salt and pepper. Fold the foil over the chicken breasts to make a packet. Roast for about 40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Allow to cool enough to handle, then shred or chop into bite-sized pieces.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Saute the onions about 10-15 minutes, or until tender and translucent. Add the garlic to the pot and saute just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Mix in the chopped bell peppers, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, cayenne, oregano, chipotle, and salt. Cook 5 more minutes. If using the canned whole tomatoes, place them in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse briefly so the tomatoes are cut into large chunks. Add the tomatoes with the puree to the pot (or dump in the canned diced tomatoes). Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the shredded chicken and the beans, and allow to simmer for another 20 minutes.

Source: adapted from Annie's Eats... originally from Barefoot Contessa Parties by Ina Garten