Looking to make enough chili for one night’s dinner without hauling out a heavy pot, we turned to our trusty skillet. We would use it to make both the chili and the rice, cooking in stages, for a one-pan meal with maximum flavor and minimal fuss.
We started by toasting and simmering the rice, flavoring it with lime zest and juice to brighten it up. We then transferred it to individual serving bowls, which we kept warm in a low oven.
While the rice cooked, we prepared our ingredients for a quick but flavorful chili. We found that treating ground beef with salt and baking soda ensured that it would remain moist and tender, even with a short cooking time. Blooming ground cumin, minced garlic and chipotle chile powder boosted their potency, which contributed complex flavor to the finished chili.
We also whipped up a simple lime-cilantro crema (made from sour cream, cilantro, lime zest and juice, and salt); when our chili bowls were ready to serve, we topped them with the crema for an authentic finish.
You will need a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe. Serve with pickled jalapenos, shredded cheese, and diced avocado.
CHIPOTLE BEEF CHILI BOWLS WITH LIME-CILANTRO CREMA
Servings: 4
Start to finish: 1 hour, 15 minutes
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons grated lime zest plus 3 tablespoons juice (2 limes)
Salt and pepper
1 pound, 90 percent lean ground beef
2 tablespoons plus 2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 onion, chopped fine
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons chipotle chile powder
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
Nutrition information per serving: 565 calories; 137 calories from fat; 15 g fat (6 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 68 mg cholesterol; mg sodium; 77 g carbohydrate; 13 g fiber; 10 g sugar; 31 g protein.
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