I should have checked the weather forecast before I went and made chili. I didn’t realize the last few days of May would be warm hot sweltering. Nevertheless, we cranked up the AC and hid indoors slurping this spicy soup. It’s richly flavored with chiles, allspice, and cinnamon and brimming with black and white beans and tender chunks of chicken. And there’s another ingredient that puts it totally over the top- chocolate! Just enough semi-sweet chocolate is swirled into the pot to impart flavor without making the chili sweet. It adds a certain something that’s hard to describe. You’ll just have to try it to understand.

Jerk Chicken Chili

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. allspice

1 3 lb. chicken, cooked and meat shredded or diced

4 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken broth

1 (14 oz.) can crushed or diced tomatoes

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 oz.) can white (Canellini or Great Northern) beans, drained and rinsed

2 Tbsp. pickled jalapenos, diced

1 oz. semisweet chocolate

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped + extra for garnish

sour cream, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, pepper, and garlic and cook until softened. Stir in the chili powder, cinnamon, and allspice and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the chicken and stir to coat with the spices. Add the broth, tomatoes, beans, and jalapenos and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover partially, and simmer 20 minutes.

2. Stir in the chocolate and cilantro. Remove from the heat and let rest 5-10 minutes. Serve with cilantro and sour cream.

Serves 6-8.

(Adapted from Pam Anderson’s Perfect One Dish Dinners via Smells Like Home)