Chicken Tequila Chili

1. BEANS: Pick through and rinse the beans. Place them in a large bowl and cover them by at least 2 inches of water. Let sit overnight to soak. The next day, drain the beans well, and place in a pot with the garlic. Cover with fresh water by at least 2 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about an hour or until beans are creamy and tender. Drain and keep in refrigerator until ready to make chili.

2. CHICKEN: Cut chicken breasts into filets (see my fajita chicken recipe for method here). Place in a zip top bag. Combine salt, pepper, sugar, garlic, lime juice, water and oil in a small bowl with a whisk. Pour over chicken. Close bag and shake to coat. Put the bag in the refrigerator and let chicken marinate for 30 minutes, turning once. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill chicken over medium high heat for 3 minutes per side. When done, remove chicken from the grill and let rest on a plate until ready to make the chili. Cut into bite-size cubes. This step can also be done ahead.

3. CHILI: Heat the butter and oil over medium high heat until butter melts and begins to sputter. Add onion, celery, and peppers. Cook until soft, about 10 minutes.

4. Add cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and white pepper to vegetables. Cook another 3 to 5 minutes, or until spices darken. Add tequila and cook an additional 3 minutes to reduce.

5. Add stock, tomatoes, beans, and chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 1 hour. Season to taste with salt and pepper if needed. If you’d like a thicker chili, add a couple Tablespoons of quick cooking tapioca and cook an additional 10 minutes to thicken.

*If you don’t want to take the time to soak the beans, you could use a #10 can of Great Northern beans. Just be sure to rinse them well before adding to the chili.