Salsa Chicken Chili

I grew up eating chili. In Minnesota, chili is something we rely on to get us through the bitter cold winters. Minnesota kids are the ones who know exactly what it’s like for the superintendent to keep schools open with 30 below temperatures and 12 inches of snow.

When I was growing up, there was a little cafe called Cafe Latte located in beautiful St. Paul, MN that my family would visit whenever possible. This place is nothing extravagant, just a cafeteria line-style place with classic, delicious food. From salads to sandwiches to soups and life-changing desserts, Cafe Latte is a restaurant I often find myself visiting when I’m back in Minnesota.

Plus, you can never go wrong with a massive piece of Turtle Chocolate Cake smothered in pecans, caramel and a rich chocolate ganache.

Today’s recipe isn’t about that cake though, as much as I would love it to be. Today is about chili, specifically salsa chicken chili. This soup has all the flavors of salsa and is one of my FAVORITE menu items at Cafe Latte. Filled with salsa, hominy and chicken, this soup sure does pack a punch (especially when you add jalapeno and cayenne pepper like me).

Lets just say I had a little bit of a heavy hand with the cayenne last week… and I learned that the hard way when I tried this soup a couple days later. SPICY.

So what makes this soup meal prep friendly?

A) It builds on my previous Salsa Shredded Chicken recipe and

B) It’s a “throw it into a pot” and walk away type of meal.

Cook it for 20-30 minutes in the Instant Pot and you’ve got yourself a quick and easy lunch or dinner! Top it with sour cream, chips, green onion and/or cheese and you’re set to go! It freezes well too; for those weeks when you’re too busy to cook and just need a quick meal on hand!

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 lb. chicken breast, diced into small pieces
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 ears of corn, kernels removed from the cob
  • 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can hominy, rinsed and drained
  • 1 jalapeno, minced
  • 1 can diced tomatoes, no salt added
  • 1 cup chicken stock, low sodium
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1/2 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 container salsa (I love Garden Fresh Gourmet Jack’s Medium Salsa)
  • pinch of cayenne pepper
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Chop onions, garlic, corn, jalapeno and chicken breast
  2. Open tomatoes, beans and hominy. Rinse beans and hominy using a strainer
  3. Set Instant Pot to Saute
  4. Add onion and garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
  5. Add chicken, corn and jalapeno. Cook until chicken is slightly browned (5 minutes)
  6. Add black beans, hominy, diced tomatoes, chicken stock, salsa and spices. Cover Instant Pot with lid.
  7. Set Instant Pot to Manual High Pressure for 20 minutes.
  8. When done, allow Instant Pot to release pressure naturally. Serve with cheese, chips, guacamole, sour cream or cornbread! Enjoy!

Published by Emily

My name is Emily and I am a graduate student and soon to be registered dietitian. Originally from Minnesota, I love to be outdoors, browse other foodie blogs, bake delicious treats and spend time with friends and family. This blog is meant to be a resource for other students interested in dietetics and nutrition, a resource for everyday people like yourself to find trustworthy and accurate information about different health-related topics and a space to share new recipes and easy tips for living your best life.