by Laura Kleban

Created on: May 30, 2010

Gluten Free Chicken Chili

One of the very few foods that are still on the menu when you cannot eat wheat is chili! This recipe was pretty much a no-brainer when I was looking for a good, hearty way to feed my gluten-intolerant husband. Fortunately most of the ingredients that go into a home-made chili do not usually contain wheat naturally, but it is a good idea to check labels because Gluten shows up in some strange places. The two ingredients in this dish to look out for are the soy sauce and the chicken stock.

This recipe is made with ground chicken instead of ground beef. I like using chicken because it is low fat, and the flavor really comes out when mixed with all of these wonderful chili ingredients. The flavor of the adobo chilies is an especially nice touch, too, but if they are too spicy, you can skip them, or just add some adobo sauce and not the actual chilies.  Jalepeno peppers and/or hot sauce are also an option if you like really spicy chili, but be warned, they will give your dish a real kick! A great side dish for this chili is cornbread, as long as it is Gluten Free!

2 pounds ground chicken, coarsely ground preferred
3 tablespoons chili powder, plus 2 teaspoons
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed
2 (28-ounce) cans diced fire roasted tomatoes
1 medium sweet potato (about 10 ounces), peeled and shredded
1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium (and Gluten free!) chicken broth
1/4 cup instant tapioca (recommended: Minute tapioca)
1 to 2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce with seeds, chopped
2 tablespoons Gluten Free soy sauce
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin

Toppings: Sour cream, shredded Cheddar or Jack cheese, chopped scallions, and chopped pickled jalapenos

Put the chicken in the slow cooker. Add 3 tablespoons of the chili powder and all the rest of the ingredients. Stir everything together, cover, and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours.

Just before serving, stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons of chili powder, and season with more salt and pepper, to taste, if desired. Divide the chili among warm bowls. Serve with the topping of your choice.

Here is a kitchen tip: Stirring in chili powder right before serving brightens the flavor. Enjoy!

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