It's the Taxpayers' Chili

About author / Pamela Chester

Mom of two; graduate French Culinary Institute; kids cooking program instructor; Master's degree in food studies. Creates kid friendly foods and loves her slow cooker.

It’s that time of year again: time to figure out your taxes and either pay a hopefully not too hefty sum to Uncle Sam or, for the lucky ones among us, to anxiously check your mailbox each day for your tax refund. Now if you are like me, and wait until the last minute (one year I even had to do some research to see which post office would be open until midnight so I would be able to postmark my taxes by April 15th) then you will need an easy, yet hearty supper to sustain you.

The traditional dinner on tax day is a bowl of chili. I was unable to find the exact origin of this tradition, but perhaps it is because after your family finances take a hit, you will appreciate an economical meal like chili. Nevertheless I thought this year would be a good one to start an annual custom of making a big pot of slow cooked chili on April 15th.

Chili is a wonderfully adaptable recipe. If you don’t have jalapeno peppers, you can use chipotle chilies in the can. If you prefer black beans, you can substitute those for the white beans and kidney beans. Of course the heat level is adjustable depending on how much dried chili powder and fresh chilies you use. If you like an extra kick you can add another pinch of chili powder. I am a wimp when it comes to heat so I tend to add smaller amounts of these items, but if my husband were making it, he would probably add as much chili powder as possible. You can vary the dried spices you use, adding your own signature touch. To thicken up your chili, you can add a bit of finely ground cornmeal. Each diner can customize their bowl of chili with different toppings you add at the table.

And you’ve gotta have the toppings -- each one adds a different element to your bowl. There's the crunchy texture of tortilla chips, the richness of the cheese, the creamy smoothness of sour cream, and the delicious tang of green onions and jalapeno peppers. All of these add their own little something to chili.

The slow cooking allows the flavors in this, and any other chili recipe, to blend together. A natural accompaniment to this meal is some cornbread or corn muffins. This is the type of recipe that is great for leftovers; it gets better after it sits in the fridge for a day or two. Two ideas for using the leftovers are as a delicious nacho topping or wrapped in tortillas (and at this time of year you might appreciate getting two inexpensive meals out of one if you have had to pay a lot in taxes!). After the leftovers are gone, your family will be begging you to make it again!

I am still waiting to hear back from the accountant on my taxes this year, but regardless of whether I need to write a check or am going to receive a refund, I know that I will be enjoying a delicious bowl of chili!

Serves/Makes: 8

• 2 pounds ground chicken
• OR
• 4 large chicken breasts, on the bone and skinless
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 can (15 ounce size) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 ounce size) white beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cans (28 ounce size) diced roasted tomatoes
• 1 medium (10 ounce size) sweet potato, peeled and shredded
• 2 large onions, coarsely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno chili, seeded and minced
• 1 can (15 ounce size) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup beer, optional (more if desired)
• salt and pepper

***Toppings***

• salsa
• crushed tortilla chips
• chopped green onions
• sour cream
• grated cheddar or jack cheese
• pickled jalapenos