I went to the market and bought some fresh chicken thighs and drumsticks. I also bought a can of beans because that is what one adds to chili- right? I love beans in chili but it kind of bothers me that both the meat and the beans have the same mushy texture. So, I decided to keep them separate. That is how I came up with this very delicious dish.

I made a sauce with three different dried chillies and cooked the chicken till the meat was falling off the bones. In the meantime, I put the relish together. I am not sure how I came up with the apple idea. I was looking for the crunch factor and since apples are in season- it was an easy choice. I also made some yummy guacamole which I served on top.

Did I mention I served the chili on polenta? Yup, and it was delicious. For the big game, I would suggest corn bread or tortilla chips. Lots of garnishes including shredded cheese, chopped onions and of course the fabulous relish and guacamole. Have fun eating, drinking and watching this Sunday!

• 1 large yellow onion, quartered
• 1 head of garlic, drizzles with olive oil and wrapped in aluminum foil
• Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the onion and wrapped garlic on a small cookie sheet. Drizzle the onion with some olive oil and salt. Bake for about 30 minutes or till the onion is tender. Squeeze the garlic out and keep aside with onion.

• 1 large dried New Mexico Chili, deseeded
• 1 dried Ancho Chili, deseeded
• 1 dried Chipotle Chili, deseeded
• 2 cups chicken broth

Add the chilies and the broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered for 30 minutes.
Add the chilies and liquid into a blender. Add the roasted onion and garlic. Blend till smooth.

• 4 chicken thighs on the bone
• 4 chicken drumsticks
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
• ½ cup tomato sauce
• Salt

Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour and sprinkle with salt. Heat a saucepan with olive oil. Brown the pieces on both sides on high heat. Keep aside and add the tomato sauce and blended sauce. Bring to a boil and add the chicken pieces back into the pan. Bring to a boil. Lower to simmer and cover with lid. Cook for 45 minutes or till the chicken is falls off the bone. Take the chicken out and take the meat off with a fork, shredding it at the same time. Discard the bones and add the meat to the sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil and test for seasonings. Add salt. Cook till the chili reaches desired consistency. Serve with Spanish rice or some creamy polenta.

Pinto Bean and Apple Relish

• One can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 small Pink Lady apples, chopped
• Juice of one lemon
• 2 teaspoons agave
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon roasted cumin seeds, crushed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped

Add the pinto beans and apples into a small serving bowl. Add the lemon juice, agave, olive oil, cumin seeds, salt and cilantro. Mix well and taste for seasonings. Let sit for at least an hour before serving. Serve a few tablespoons on top of the chicken chili and maybe a ladle of guacamole.

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped
• ½ cup shredded carrots
• 2 teaspoons roasted ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1-2 teaspoons ancho chili powder (depending how spicy you like)
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound ground dark meat turkey
• 1 19oz can cannellini beans, drained
• 1 cup frozen roasted corn
• 3 cups chicken broth
• ½ cup half and half
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped for garnish

Preheat a large heavy pot and add the olive oil. Add onion, garlic, bell pepper and carrots. Saute for a minute on medium high heat. Add the cumin, chili powder and ancho chili powder and salt. Next add the ground turkey and cook on high heat breaking the meat apart. Next add the beans, corn and chicken broth, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for at least 30 minutes. Take the back of a wooden spoon and mash some of the beans in the chili- it will thicken it up. Once reached the desired consistency add the half and half and check for seasoning. Cook another 10 minutes and add the cilantro on top.
Serve with corn bread.

I added large pieces of carrots and potatoes- to make it more substantial. I would definitely make the stew for this Sunday. I would serve it with different breads, Spanish rice, guacamole, salsa and shredded cheese. Lots of beer, wine and maybe sangria.

I love the idea of friends and family getting together and eating delicious food. I am not too keen on the game but I am probably in a minority.

• 1 pound chicken thighs
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 2 to 3 large yellow potatoes and cut into ½ inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons roasted cumin
• 2 cups chicken broth

Sauce

• 2 poblano peppers, sliced in half
• 1 anaheim pepper, sliced in half
• 1 small garlic head, wrapped in aluminum
• 1 small yellow onion cut in half
• 2 to 3 green onions
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped
• ½ cup chicken broth

Place the peppers, garlic, onion and green onions onto a lined baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle the salt. Roast in the oven for half an hour, or until the vegetables are soft. Take out and blend in the blender with the cilantro and ½ cup broth until smooth.

Heat a saucepan and add the oil and roasted cumin. Add the carrots and celery and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat. Add the green sauce, 2 cups broth and the chicken thighs. Mix well and add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer for an hour and a half. Serve hot with bread.

I served the healthy chicken breasts with citrus broccoli and some sweet potato oven fries.

• 3 to 4 chicken breast filets, boneless, skinless and pounded thin (about ½ inch)

Marinade

• 1 cup orange juice
• Juice of one lime
• 1 to 2 tablespoons agave
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 3 garlic cloves, grated

Add the orange juice, lime juice, agave, salt, paprika and garlic in a small bowl and mix well. Add the marinade and chicken to a zip lock bag and marinate for 3 to 4 hours in the fridge.

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt

Heat a large frying pan with the olive oil. Take the chicken filets out of the marinade and dredge in flour and salt (save the marinade for later). Brown the chicken on high heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Take the filets out and add the marinade into the frying pan. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat. Add the chicken filets and cook on a medium flame until chicken is done (time will vary according the chicken thickness). Serve hot with pan sauce on top of the chicken.

The curry part of the dish was simple- made with onions, tomatoes and chicken broth. I also added some spices like cardamom and cloves.

The dish was delicious and very easy to make- and healthy!

• 1 pound chicken thighs, with or without bones, without skin
• ½ cup non-fat Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons half and half
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 inch fresh ginger, grated
• Juice of one lemon
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons garam masala

Mix the yogurt, half and half, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, salt and garam masala in a bowl. Add to a zip lock bag with the chicken and marinate in the fridge overnight or at least 2 hours. Keep aside.

• 1 medium yellow onion, cut in half
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, washed
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 green cardamoms, crushed
• 2 cloves

Add the onion, tomatoes, chicken broth, cardamom and cloves to a medium pan. Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 30 minutes or till everything is soft and mushy. Blend in a blender till smooth.

• 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
• ½ cinnamon stick
• Salt
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped

Heat a large saucepan with the olive oil and cinnamon stick. Add the blended onion mixture and sauté on medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the chicken including the marinade. Mix well and cook on a medium heat covered for 20 minutes or till the chicken is cooked through. Take the lid off and turn the heat up to cook the extra moisture off, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Check for seasonings and garnish with cilantro.