Hearty Chicken, Pumpkin and Black Bean Chili

Fall is my favorite time of year, especially so because I can get back to cooking.  With the weather finally cooling off, this is also the time of year I start thinking about making soups and chili.  And for the past 4 years, October has also been Soup Month here at HowDoYouCook.com.

For each of those 4 years my family and I would create 31 new soup, stew and chili recipes during the month of October.  So far we've compiled a pretty good archive of yummy recipes.  This year however, since my schedule has not allowed me the time to create a new soup each day, we are going to keep the soup tradition going with at least one or two new soups each week throughout the fall and winter months.  So fear not, the soup, stew and chili recipes will keep coming, just not all in one month! lol  Yes, I admit, I love soup!

To get us started we made a Hearty Chicken, Pumpkin and Black Bean Chili that brings several healthy ingredients together in one pot.  But before you think pumpkin = pumpkin pie, wait!  This is a savory pumpkin chili, no cloves or cinnamon at all.  Many people do not realize the delicious flavor of a savory pumpkin dish, so this is a great way to try this tasty squash in a different way.  And to make things even easier, this chili is made in the crock pot and the recipe is super simple!

The pumpkin creates a creamy, but healthy background for this soup,  then the chicken, black beans and vegetables add the heartiness of a chili.  All of this comes together for a great meal.  Enjoy!!

3 cups  Chicken Stock
1  medium  White Onion, chopped
1  large Yellow Bell Pepper, chopped
2 TB  Olive Oil
3 cloves  Minced Garlic
2 cans  Black Beans, rinsed and drained
2-1/2 cups  Cooked Chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 can  Solid-Pack Pumpkin
1 can  Petite Diced Tomatoes
2 tsp  Dried Parsley
2 tsp  Chili Powder
1-1/2 tsp  Dried Oregano
1-1/2 tsp  Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp  Salt

In a medium skillet saute the onion and yellow pepper in the olive oil over medium heat until just tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic to the skillet and saute 1 minute longer.

Transfer the vegetables to a 5-quart slow cooker, add all of the remaining ingredients, cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours.