Ingredients:
6 carrots, peeled and sliced into half-moons
6 stalks celery, sliced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds ground chicken (99% lean)
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups low-sodium vegetable or tomato juice
1/4 cup hot sauce (see Note)
plain non-fat Greek yogurt or light sour cream (optional)
chopped scallions (optional)
whipped blue cheese topping (optional), recipe below
Preparation:
Liberally coat a large pot or Dutch oven with oil spray, and preheat it over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and celery and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes; add water, a tablespoon at a time, as necessary to prevent scorching.
Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the ground chicken, reapplying oil spray if necessary. Sauté, stirring continuously and breaking the chicken into small pieces, for 5 minutes or until cooked through. As the chicken cooks, continue scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to dislodge any large bits
Sprinkle in the chili powder and flour, and stir quickly to distribute them evenly. Immediately add the vegetable juice and hot sauce, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.
Ladle the chili into serving bowls and serve with desired toppings.
Note: The amount of hot sauce you use will depend on the brand you select as well as your (and your family’s) own personal tolerance for spicy foods. I advise adding ¼ cup hot sauce to start with, then tasting the chili and adding more from there if you find it too mild.
Slow Cooker Option: To prepare in a slow cooker, simply add all ingredients to slow cooker, stir and cook on low for eight hours. Prepare whipped blue cheese topping prior to serving.
For Whipped Blue Cheese Topping: In a small bowl mash together ¼ cup blue cheese crumbles (at room temperature) and ¼ cup light/nonfat sour cream or nonfat plain Greek yogurt. Dollop on top of chili before serving.
