Dinner: Ancho, Beef, and Kidney Bean Chili Recipe | Myrecipes

Recipe by Jeanne Kelley Instead of using commercial chili powder to flavor this stew, we puree dried ancho chiles for a customized taste. You can prepare the chile-broth puree up to two days in advance to streamline prep for a busy night.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 cups chopped onion
2 teaspoons ground cumin
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 ounces stemmed dried seeded ancho chiles, torn into 2-inch pieces
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 pounds boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
Cooking spray
2 1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper (about 2 large)
6 cups cooked kidney beans
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 tablespoon reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Lime wedges (optional)

Instructions

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion to pan; cook 8 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently. Add cumin, garlic, and chiles; cook 3 minutes or until chiles are soft, stirring frequently. Stir in broth and tomatoes; bring to a simmer. Cover, remove from heat, and let stand at room temperature 20 minutes.
Place half of chile mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour pureed chile mixture into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining chile mixture. Set aside.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef to pan; sauté 10 minutes or until browned on all sides. Remove beef from pan. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add bell pepper to pan, and sauté for 8 minutes or until browned. Stir in pureed chile mixture and beef; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until beef is tender. Add beans; cook 20 minutes. Stir in salt and black pepper. Top with sour cream and cilantro; serve with lime wedges, if desired.