Twisted Kitchens: Red At Night Chili with Corn Pancakes

Allow me to set the scene here: I’m in my newly painted orange kitchen, surrounded by chili ingredients, wondering how in the world am I going to be able to document this dish I usually just throw together? I keep getting IM’ed encouraging words from Liz…you know like “OMG just shut up and do it!”…heehee, not really, she really was nice about it all.

Meanwhile, I’ve got my two little monsters dueling to the death (ok, really just fighting a lot), my dog going absolutely insane, and my 21 year old brother watching Eclipse in the background (yeah, you read that right). What’s a girl to do when all she wants is to make some freaking chili? She turns on some tunes and grabs a drink.

The music: The Gaslight Anthem (get used to that, you’ll be seeing it a lot) This is also where this chili got it’s name. The song of the meal is “Red at Night”.
The beverage: A Rockstar Recovery (because I was freaking tired…don‘t judge me)

And now let the chili making commence.

3 chicken breasts (cooked and shredded)
3 - 28 oz. cans of diced tomatoes
1 - 14.5oz can of diced tomatoes
1 - 15.25oz can of black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 - 15.25oz can of corn (drained)
1 - 15.5oz can of kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 T. chopped cilantro
Sour cream
Spices - cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper

Sprinkle some cumin and salt onto the chicken breasts, creating a sort of rub over them. Drizzle a little olive oil into a pan and cook the chicken over high heat on the first side, then turn the heat down to medium when they are ready to turn. (Turning the heat down after flipping any meat will ensure that it cooks through without burning) You want a nice golden-brown color on the outside.

While the chicken is cooking, combined tomatoes, black beans, corn, and kidney beans into a large pot over med-low heat. Be sure to rinse the beans as they have an icky film on the outside. (nice action shot here)

Chop the onion (you can use whatever kind you like, I just had a red one on hand) and cilantro; add to the pot. (yeah, I’m so not good at uniform chopping)

Add spices basically to taste. I really don’t have measurements for the spices (I know…FAIL). But really, I add to taste. If you want the chili to have a good kick to it, add more cayenne pepper. If you want little to no spice, omit the cayenne completely. (pretty so far, right?)

Use a fork or your hands to shred the chicken into small strips and add to the pot. Allow contents to simmer for at least 15-20 minutes.

Sadly the Rockstar drink is gone but The Gaslight Anthem is still just a-going! So onto the Corn Pancakes:

1 - 8.5oz box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
2 whole green onions (chopped)
1 cup of cheddar jack cheese (shredded)

Prepare mix as directed for pancakes on the side of the box (you will need 3/4 cup of milk, one egg, and two tablespoons of melted shortening) in a bowl. Mix in onions and cheese. The batter will be lumpy.