But getting to college, and living with one of the most AMAZING roommates, opened my eyes to a whole new culinary world. Nikki encouraged me to think outside the box. She showed me how to experiment with new ingredients and flavors. She taught me that it's OK to make additions or substitutions in a recipe and things still turn out dang tasty.
This recipe is one that she adapted from a box of barley. It probably has a real name out there somewhere but in my house, we just call it:
Nikki's Chili
Recipe from Nikki Da Ronco
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp canola oil
3 cups water
1/2 cup barley, uncooked
1 (16oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 (8oz) cans tomato sauce
1 3/4 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 (4oz) can chopped green chilies
4-5 red potatoes, cubed
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
2 pkgs pre-cooked chicken strips, chopped (I recommend Southwest seasoned ones)
1. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the onion and garlic in the oil until tender.
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| A few of the tasty ingredients |
2. Add the remaining ingredients EXCEPT chicken. Bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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| Only two seasonings in this whole pot of goodness |
3. Add the cooked chicken; continue simmering 5-10 minutes until the chicken is heated through and barley is tender. If the chili becomes to thick while standing, add a little more water.
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| Ooooohhhhh yumminess |
This is such a simple, homey, warm, comforting dish to make. I absolutely LOVE IT!! It's especially good topped with a little sour cream and shredded cheddar. Serve some hot cornbread alongside and you've got quite the warmup meal.
p.s. For anyone out there who may be questioning my use of potatoes and still calling this "chili" instead of "stew", I did a little research on that. Chili, which is short for chili con carne, is a specific kind of stew. A stew is a dish that's cooked by simmering or slow boiling. Just a little FYI there. ;)
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