Spicy Chicken Chili with Chorizo Sausage

I've been making this chili since I was first married. I kind of thought of it as a 'everything but the kitchen sink' recipe that my good friend made and I adopted. This past weekend I had to 'clear' the fridge of items as I am out of town for a few days...and I wanted to make a few meals 'ahead' for those who stayed behind. Then I remembered this 'ol standby. To help my memory I found a similar recipe on Group Recipes.

Hot and spicy...as spicy as you want to make it..this is a hearty, pleasing to serve chili. Serve with cornbread or tortillas, a side of sour cream and a crisp green salad!!

Ingredients:

• 1 onion (or more - no rules here) chopped
• 6 - 8 cloves of garlic finely chopped (if you are not fond of garlic you can cut back on that :)
• 1 tbsp cumin (or more...of course...I did more)
• 4 tbsp chili pwd
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• fresh parsley chopped (I only had dried and I can attest that it will do)
• salt and pepper
• oil for frying - 4 tbsp or so
• 1 red bell pepper chopped
• 1 yellow/orange bell pepper chopped
• 1 green bell pepper chopped
• 4 deboned chicken breasts (it is best to use the chicken breast meat but you could use thigh...I know I did during those lean student days...but not as good as it does not hold its shape) chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
• 4 hot chorizo sausages- sliced
• 1 can kernel corn, drained
• 1 can kidney beans, drained
• 1 can black beans, drained
• 1 can stewed tomatoes, NOT drained
• 1 tbsp tomato paste

Place first 11 ingredients in a large saucepan that will hold a big chili feast! Saute until chicken looks nearly cooked through. Add remaining ingredients. Add enough paste to thicken.

You can tell from this recipe that there is a lot of opportunity to change it up. .... different beans, fresh tomatoes etc. Don't lose that interesting combination though, of the sausage and chicken. That is what makes it unique.