Lean N' Green Chili

Sorry lovelies! I was out of town on business and then had... well, baking issues when I returned, so I'm a bit behind on posting. But! Plenty will be posted in the coming weeks, promise. After all, there is much holiday baking to be done :)

Another goodie from my last Cooking Club - this time we're giving Stacey's recipe a whirl. Check out her blog: it is sweet treat after yummy sweet treat after another, and yet the girl maybe weighs as much as one of my thighs. So I can only imagine that her actual meals are a bit more on the healthy side...

Not only healthy, my friends, but YUMMY. Just what I want in this kinda chili - thick, spicy, and filling. And only about 250 calories per serving, wahoo! Now I can have extra pie later in the week!!

Lean N' Green Chili

(from Stacey)

Ingredients:

8 6-in. corn tortillas, divided

2 tsp. vegetable oil, dived

1 c. chopped Poblano Chile peppers (or green bell peppers)

1/2 c. chopped onion

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ¾-in. pieces

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 garlic clove, pressed

2 cans (14.5 oz.) 99% fat free chicken broth

2 cans (15 oz.) pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/4 c. salsa verde (or 1 can green Chile enchilada sauce)

3-4 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 400 F. Cut four of the tortillas in half and stack them one on top of another. Cut the tortillas into ½ inch strips. Place in bowl and toss with 1 tsp of the oil. Spread in a single layer in a baking pan. Bake 10 – 12 min or until crisp, stirring once. Remove from oven.

Chop Chile peppers and onion. Cut chicken into ¾ inch pieces; toss with cumin in small bowl. Fold one tortilla to fit into a food processor coarsely grate. Repeat with remaining 3 tortillas. Set aside.

Heat remaining 1 tsp oil in large pot over medium heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 5 min. Remove chicken from casserole; and Chile peppers, onion, and garlic. Cook and stir 3 min. Stir in chicken, broth, beans, salsa and grated tortillas. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 15 min.

Stir cilantro into chili. Ladle soup into bowls; top with baked tortilla strips.