One of my favorite Food Network shows is "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives". I love that the host, Guy Fieri, uses his platform to display some of the most creative eateries in America! On one of his shows, Guy stopped at a quaint little restaurant in Philadelphia called "Honey Sit N Eat". I've tried on one occassion to eat there in Philly, but the wait was too long to stomach on an emtpy stomach, so I was thrilled to see what this restaurant had to offer, albeit through the television.
One of the dishes they highlighted was the "Chicken Chili Frito Pie" which looked so delicious. Due to the freak icestorm that left the entire city of Dallas paralyzed, we had plenty of time on our hands to think about our less than stocked pantry. After enough time passed, a very determined Carl figured we could rewind the segment enough times to figure out how to create our own version of this "Chicken Chili Frito Pie". After initial skepticism from this fabbie foodie, I finally gave in and helped Carl figure out how we could concoct a homemade version of the dish. After all, the only place we could feesibly get to was the neighborhood market two blocks away from our apartment, and one does have to eat to stay warm!
Here is the simple adapted recipe Carl and I came up with. If you ever have half an hour to 45 minutes to spare preparing an easy meal, this one is definitely worth it. Our twist on the meal is a healthy (believe it or not) fiesta of flavors guaranteed to satisfy your "frito pie" and/or "chili" craving!
You'll Need:
2 chicken breasts (boneless)
1/2 Red Bell Pepper (diced)
1/2 Green Bell Pepper (diced)
1/2 can white beans (Caneloni , Great Northern, or Navy beans work well)
1/2 can Kidney Beans
1/2 white or yellow onion chopped
1/2 can corn kernels
6 oz can tomato paste
8 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 can pickled jalapenos
1 package shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 of a poblano pepper (finely sliced in 1/8 or an inch strips, and then chopped)
1 can sweet peppers
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 bag fritos (corn chips)
1 box chicken stock
2 tablespoons ketchup
Directions:
In a large pot boil your chicken breasts for up to 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked all the way through. Once chicken is ready, use two forks to shred both chicken breasts.
In a skillet heated to medium heat, add shredded chicken, 3 teaspoons tomato paste, 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes, 1/2 cup chicken stock, and sliced and shredded poblano pepper (can be substituted for guajillo pepper if readily available). Mix together until the poblano peppers begin to appear to "disintegrate".
In a seperate skillet on medium-high heat add the diced red peppers, green peppers, chopped onion. Allow to cook down for about 3 minutes before adding all the beans and corn. Add about a quarter of a cup of the sweet peppers (chopped), and a quarter of a cup of the pickled jalapenos chopped (if you prefer your dish spicier, adjust accordingly). Dump in the cumin, red chili powder and brown sugar. Allow for flavors to meld together for 5 to 7 minutes. Add contents of the skillet containg the shredded chicken (which should be a red color). Allow for chicken to cook with the beans and vegetables for approximately 5 minutes.
In a seperate baking sheet place several handfuls of fritos (enough to line the bottom of your baking sheet. If you're dieting, you may prefer to add less Fritos, or eliminate the Fritos altogether). Pour your chili from the skillet on top of the Fritos. Liberally sprinkle cheese on top of the chicken chili frito pie and place into the oven at 350 degrees for 3 minutes (or long enough for the cheese to fully melt on top). Remove from the oven and ENJOY! Here are some pictures of our homemade version of Chicken Chili Frito Pie.
