30 Days of Pumpkin-Day Two: Crockpot Chili

There's no better way to start your October weekends off than with a big bowl of chili.  Crockpot Pumpkin Chili from Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice is a great way to put a new spin on a classic meal.  Adding pumpkin to your chili is a great way to sneak in an extra veggie in an already rich veggie dish. 

I suppose you could make this chili with ground beef, but that would make the dish a lot more complicated since it is prepared in the crockpot.  If you use chicken you can stick the meat in the crockpot frozen.  Using ground beef will require you to brown the meat in a skillet first.  We used chicken cause it is a leaner meat, and I'm lazy.

The chili is supposed to have corn in it.  I forgot!  As it is, the recipe made 9 servings for us!  The original says it only makes 6.  Those must have been some HUGE serving sizes.  Even if your family is a bunch of hearty eaters this batch of chili still feeds a goodly amount of hungry folks.

Crockpot Pumpkin Chicken Chili from Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice
14 oz diced tomatoes
1 can (14 oz) pumpkin puree
2 c chicken broth
1 lg onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, mince
1 T chile powder
1 t cumin
1 heaping t dried oregano,
1/2 t black pepper
1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, seeds removed, minced, (we used 1 with the seeds)
1 1/2 lb chicken breasts or cutlets, skin and visible fat removed (this is about 3-4 breasts)
2 cans (14 ounce each) chickpeas, rinsed and drained (I used 1.5c each cooked pinto and black beans)
1 c corn kernels, if frozen, thawed
2 T fresh cilantro, chopped (I used 2t dried)
sour cream, shredded cheddar, guacamole/avocado, green onions and/or tortilla chips, for serving

To a 4-5 qt crockpot add tomatoes, broth and pumpkin. Stir til combined; add onion, garlic, chile powder, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper and chipotles; combine well. Add chicken, beans and corn. Cook 4-5 hours on high or 6-8 on low. When ready to serve remove chicken and chop into bite-size pieces or shred with two forks. (we shredded ours) Add back to pot, stir in cilantro and serve with sour cream, shredded cheddar, green onions, guacamole and/or tortilla chips.