Slow Cooker Black Bean Quinoa Pumpkin Chicken Chili

By harvard88

Ingredients

• ½ tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 white onion, roughly chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups water (or low sodium chicken broth)
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans
• ½ cup uncooked quinoa
• ¾ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (can also use chicken breast)

Preparation

Step 1

Place olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Once oil is hot, add in garlic, onion, jalapeno and red bell pepper; stir and saute for 2 minutes or until onions begin to soften, then transfer to a slow cooker.
Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker: crushed tomatoes, water (or broth), pumpkin puree, black beans, quinoa salt, chili powder, cumin and cayenne pepper. Stir until well combined, then add chicken. Cover and cook for 6-7 hours on low or 2-3 hours on high. Once done cooking, remove chicken with a slotted spoon and shred with two forks, then transfer shredded chicken back to slow cooker. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.
Distribute into bowls (or do a meal prep) and top with fixin's such as cilantro, greek yogurt and cheddar cheese. (It's really, really good with a sharp or white cheddar!). Makes 6 servings. Double the recipe for a crowd!