Chicken & Sweet Potato Chili with Quinoa and Butter Cornbread

Another use for protein packed quinoa.  The quinoa adds extra depth and heartiness to the Chicken and Sweet Potato Chili with Quinoa.  The spices in this dish are kid friendly, so if you are looking for a 5-alarm chili, add red pepper flakes and/or hot sauce.

I like spoon-bread style corn bread:  moist bread with chunks of garden fresh corn baked to perfection.  My husband does not – he says it’s a texture thing.  But he doesn’t like it too dry either.  On an unrelated topic, he loves yellow cake.  So, when I made Butter Cornbread, he fell in love.  Think of this as more of a dessert than a side dish.

If you are feeding a toddler, consider removing some of the chicken and sweet potato before combining.  Chop the chicken to your desired texture and cut the sweet potatoes into small cubes.  Serve in the Lock N Lock stainless steel bowl from the Bebe series. With the Little Red Riding Hood design, you can’t get any cuter!

Chicken and Sweet Potato Chili with Quinoa

Serves 10

1 medium onion, chopped

3 teaspoons minced garlic 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 broiler/fryer chicken (3 to 4 pounds), cut up

4 cups chicken broth, divided

1 tablespoon chili powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed

3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained

2 cans (16 ounces each) kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

In a Dutch oven, sauté onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add the chicken, 2 cups broth and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour or until chicken is tender.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring 1 cup broth to a boil. Add quinoa. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat; fluff with a fork. Set aside.

Remove chicken; cool slightly. Skim fat from broth.  Add remaining broth, sweet potatoes, beans, tomatoes and cooked quinoa. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 15-20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, remove chicken from bones; cut into bite-size pieces. Discard bones. Stir chicken into chili; heat through.

Butter Cornbread

Serves 15

3 cups buttermilk baking mix

1 cup white sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 cup yellow cornmeal

3 eggs

1 1/4 cups milk

1 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.

In a large mixing bowl, combine baking mix, sugar, baking powder and cornmeal.

In a separate bowl, combine eggs, milk and melted butter; beat until creamy. Stir in flour mixture until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Serve warm.