The high temperature in Knoxville today was at 1:30am.
With temps dropping all day, that meant it was a day for soup. Or chili. Or maybe both, because I wasn't sure which to call this dish I threw together for dinner tonight. I wasn't even going to blog about this but Alexis liked it so much I changed my mind.
Southwestern Chicken Chili Soup
Southwestern Chicken Chili Soup
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/4 inch wide strips
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp oil
- 1 Tbsp butter, unsalted
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
- 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 can diced tomatoes and green chile
- 1 can corn kernals, drained
- 1 can light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp roasted cumin
- 1/4 tsp dried lemon peel
- Preheat a large stock pot over medium high heat.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper.
- Add butter and oil to pot and brown chicken for 4-5 minutes. Remove to a plate.
- Add the diced onion and saute for 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic and saute for 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Deglaze the pot with balsamic vinegar.
- Return chicken and any juices to the pot.
- Add remaining ingredients, bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
- Avoid crowding the pot when browning chicken. If you can get all the chicken in with one layer, do it in two batches.
- Garnish with crispy fried tortilla strips or masa dumplings
Then I Saw The Light
The onset of darker nights and colder temps cause some folks to suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). I have to admit I am not as enthusiastic about getting out to cook when it's already dark when I get home from work. According to the Mayo Clinic, light therapy is a common treatment for combating the effects of SAD.