In Cindy's Kitchen: Chicken Barley Chili: Chili with a Healthy Twist!

Monday, December 3, 2012

Chicken Barley Chili: Chili with a Healthy Twist!

Back of the Box Recipe Part 2

Hi everybody :)

As promised when posting Hearty Vegetable Barley Soup last week, I said was going to do a chicken chili with barley, well here it is.

I been reading up on barley lately and discovered the healthy benefits of eating it. Like oatmeal, it's heart healthy, loaded with fiber and niacin. It's low fat, sodium and have no cholesterol. Barley can be use in the place of rice or pasta in soups or stews or served as a side dish.

Like with the Hearty Vegetable Barley Soup, this recipe comes from the back of a QUAKER Medium Barley's box too. Let's get it started...

Chicken Barley Chili
Ingredients

1 (14 1/2 oz.) can Tomatoes, diced, undrained,
(may use seasoned tomatoes)
1 (16 oz.) jar/can Salsa or tomato sauce (I used mild salsa with a little medium salsa)
l (14 1/2 oz.) can Fat free Chicken broth
1 cup QUAKER: Medium Barley
4 cups Water
1 tablespoon Chili powder
1 teaspoon Cumin
1 (15 oz.) can Black beans, drained, rinsed
1 (151/4 oz.) can Corn, whole kernel or corn with peppers, undrained
3 cups Chicken breast, cooked, cut (I used chicken tenderloins and boneless/skinless chicken thighs)
(about 1 1/2 lbs.) into bite-sized pieces
Reduced or no fat Cheddar cheese (optional)
Reduced fat or fat free sour cream (optional)

In 6-quart saucepan, combine first 7 ingredients. Over high heat bring to a boil: cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add beans, corn and chicken; increase heat to high until chili comes to a boil.

Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for another 5 minutes, or until barley is tender. If upon standing the chili becomes too thick, add more chicken broth or water until chili is desired consistency.

If desired, top with shredded cheese and sour cream. MAKES 11 (1 CUP) SERVINGS.

What I Did and/or Think:
I'm loving barley more and more each day. The chili was GREAT! Not too spicy for me because I used mild salsa and topped it off with a little medium salsa, but if you like the heat, use hot salsa.

If you'll love the Hearty Vegetable Barley Soup, then you're going to LOOVVVVE this! Both soups are wonderful, the healthy side-effects do not effect their taste at all :) Cold days ahead, this chili will be in my weekly forecast :)

This IS my new way of making chili! REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT!