It’s cold in Michigan. How cold? Well, when I went out to run 5 miles on my treadmill this morning (in the unheated barn), my thermometer read a brisk 32.1 degrees. Dude! That’s not normal, even for late October. Normal lows this time of year are in the mid-40s. Winter is coming early, it seems!

Two things I am thankful for during this ridiculous cold snap are: 1) my heated mattress pad and 2) chili. I know I just posted a recipe for chicken chili a week or so ago, but this is a very different recipe. And right now, with the temperatures being what they are, there can’t be enough chili in my life! 😉 Actually, the previous chili was a white chili, with lime flavor, great northern beans (who decided they were great anyway?!) and not at all spicy. This chili is a tomato-based chili with black beans and plenty of spice.

This is actually Jamie’s favorite chili (thus the name), and I must admit, I do like it both for the taste and the simplicity. It’s really easy to throw into the crockpot in the morning and let simmer all day. And it turns out so good! You’re supposed to cook the onions and garlic first, but I usually sometimes get lazy and don’t. I also use fake garlic on occasion (the kind that comes in a jar) and frozen chopped onions. Neither has killed me yet!

I think the keys to this chili are the spiciness and the cream cheese. The original recipe called for Ro-Tel, but I like using plain diced tomatoes with a can of chopped green chilis. If you don’t like spicy, I’d recommend just using the plain tomatoes and also omitting the cayenne. The original recipe also called for a full 8 oz brick of cream cheese, but I find that half a block is plenty, and also lowers the points a bit.

We make this all the time on hockey nights, and while Daniel (second son) sometimes complains that it’s too hot, Jamie and I just love it, especially with that homemade bread that is my arch-nemesis. 😉 I hope you enjoy it, too!

Jamie’s Crockpot Chicken Chil

adapted from budgetsavvydivas.com

1 Tablespoon of olive oil*
1 cup of diced onion
2 Garlic cloves minced
1 can black beans ( rinsed)
1 can corn, undrained
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 4oz can chopped green chilis
1 package ranch dressing mix
1 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 4oz package light cream cheese
13 oz chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of pepper

In a large skillet – heat oil and cook onions for 8 minutes than add garlic and cook for one minute. *Note, I sometimes skip this part and therefore don’t use the olive oil at all. Sorry to say that it doesn’t affect the points. 😛

Set your crock pot to low and add “cooked” (or not!) onions and garlic, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, green chilis, the seasonings, and ranch mix. Stir. Add chicken and push down so that the veggies and seasonings cover it somewhat. Put the cream cheese on top, cover, and cook for 6 – 8 hours on low. (I’ve cooked it for up to 10 hours without detriment.)

Before serving, shred the chicken using two forks. (You can do it in the crockpot, or remove them and do it on a cutting board and add them back in.)

Serves: 6
Points per serving: 7 PP