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{Today I am partnering with Andy Boy Broccoli Rabe to bring you this hearty Crockpot Italian Chicken and Broccoli Rabe Chili. I am so excited to be using their delicious Broccoli Rabe in this recipe!}
Have I mentioned how excited I am that it’s soup season? This Crockpot Italian Chicken and Broccoli Rabe Chili is so easy (ummm helloooo crockpot!) and has sooo much flavor!
I wish I was able to hit a magical pause button so that I could have a good 2-3 extra months of this amazing fall and holiday season. I know things are about to start getting really crazy, but I don’t care, I still love it!
I can honestly feel the excitement in the air and I am PUMPED.
But like I said, things are about to start to get crazy, and that means we all need some go-to meals that are healthy and easy to prepare. I mean, I know that Halloween candy is delicious and all, but let’s be real, we can’t live solely on candy. Besides, you all know how much I love my veggies. No I promise, I really, really LOVE veggies. I think I’ve said this before, but did you know that literally every night I have a big bowl of roasted veggies with dinner, like every stinkin night!
No joke.
This’s partly because I am a semi repetitive person with almost everything I do, but mostly because I adore roasted veggies. My current favorites are butternut + acorn squash, pumpkin (duh), brussels sprouts and broccoli… and/or BROCCOLI RABE!
So you see, I don’t just live on sugar, carbs, chocolate, cheese and butter. I mean, I mostly do….but that doesn’t mean I don’t love my vegetables!
Sooo, I made us a hearty, but healthy chili, full of one of my favorite autumn veggies, broccoli rabe. This chili is the perfect dinner to warm up to on a cold autumn night, and it couldn’t be simpler. Just throw everything into the crockpot, turn it on, walk away for six or so hours and come home to a house smelling like your Italian grandma’s…or maybe what you would imagine your Italian grandma’s house would smell like… if you had an Italian grandma.
Loaded with lean chicken, cannellini beans, tomatoes and broccoli rabe this bowl of chili is about as healthy and wholesome as it gets… but it doesn’t feel that way.
Just serve this chili with a side of crusty bread and plenty of freshly grated parmesan. You’ll have yourself a complete meal with NO complaining, and all tummies happy!
Yeah!!
Another way to serve this chili is over a bed of buttery polenta, it’s pretty amazing. Or you could also boil some pasta and go that route too. Personally, my favorite is to serve the chili over polenta alongside garlic bread for soaking up any extra sauce.
I really could not think of a better Sunday night dinner!
FUN FACT: Did you know that Sunday night dinners are my absolute favorite in the fall. Something about them makes me feel so happy inside. When I was a kid, Sunday night was the one night of the week my parents really tried to get it together and have a nice family dinner. They would either make Chicken Noodle Casserole, Pot Roast, Chili, London Broil, Chicken + Rice or a Roasted Chicken. Simple meals, but ones that the whole family would actually sit down at the table, eat and really talk to each other… and we’d even eat at a decent hour (which meant somewhere between 7:30 and 8:30). My oldest brother Creighton would come home (this was after he had moved out and was in college) and we’d all just eat and be together. The kitchen would be warm from the oven, due to mom baking bread or cookies, and all us kids would come rushing in for dinner. It was nothing fancy, and it was always a bit chaotic, but I still loved it.
Thinking about it now though, the fact that I liked Sunday night dinners is SO odd, because at the same time, I also HATED Sundays with a passion. Knowing that it was back to school the next morning was overwhelming for me. Friday and Saturday where my favorites… Sunday + Monday, not so much! Ugh, SO happy I am outta school.
NEW GOAL: Bring back Sunday night dinners this fall. If not every Sunday night, at least every few weeks. You guys too! Let’s do it? Mmm, K???
We can all start with this easy broccoli rabe chili, sound good?
Awesome, let’s do this!
Crockpot Italian Chicken and Broccoli Rabe Chili.
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories Per Serving: 202 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- 1 small sweet onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼-½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon salt + pepper or to taste
- 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 large bunch broccoli rabe ends trimmed + roughly chopped
- 1 (12 ounce) jar roasted red peppers sliced,
- 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans drained + rinsed
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- ½ cup chopped parsley plus more for serving
Instructions
- In the bowl of a 6-8 quart crockpot pot, add the chicken, onion, garlic, chili powder, oregano, paprika, thyme, allspice, crushed red pepper flakes, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Next add the tomato paste, chicken broth and balsamic vinegar. Give everything a gentle stir to combine. Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours (or 4-6 hours on high) stirring once or twice if possible.
- During the last 30 minutes of cooking, stir the broccoli rabe, roasted red peppers and cannellini beans together in a bowl and add to the crockpot. Crank the heat up to high, cover and let cook 20-30 minutes longer.
- Lightly shred the chicken with two forks, it should just fall apart. Stir in the parmesan and parsley.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with parmesan + crusty bread for dipping.
Notes
*If you prefer, you may add the broccoli rabe in the beginning of the cooking, but just know it will be cooked down a bit more. It’s still delicious this way, it just has a little less firmness to it. **You can also serve the chili over polenta or pasta for an extra hearty meal
But really, whatever you do, don’t forget to add the cheese + a carb to this chili. It’s Sunday and they really are a MUST!
I made this recipe this evening, and I’m thoroughly disappointed. I had high expectations, and used quality ingredients, as I always do, and I will not be repeating this recipe. Beautiful pictures, nice story, I appreciate your recipe share, but I won’t make this recipe again.
Hi Jennifer,
I am really sorry you did not like this. Can I ask what exactly was wrong? Many other have mad this and greatly enjoyed it.
I substituted brocolli rabe with kale and Brussel sprouts. But the soup has a strong flavor — maybe too much balsamic vinegar ? Help.
hi Lorie!! If you felt the soup was a little strong, reducing the balsamic may help tone it down a bit. The Brussels sprout may have also add a bit of strong flavor as well. Let me know if you have questions. Thanks so much!
Should I have reduced the balsamic before putting it in the crockpot? I added some brown sugar and cocoa and the flavor was much more to my liking. Thanks so much for responding to questions so promptly! I love this blog!
No need to reduce the balsamic, maybe the flavor of your balsamic is just super strong? Glad you where able to make it to your liking! 🙂
Hoping to make this this wekend. Yet, do you have suggestions on where to find broccoli rabe?? I have no idea where to buy it…
Hey Jenny! I just get it at my local grocery store. Try asking the produce guy if he carries it, if not, just sub smaller broccoli florets. Hope you love this!
I found it at Deirbergs! My local go-to store (Green Earth Grocery) had no idea what I was looking for! I did at happy dance when I found it! This is on the menu for today 🙂
Oh, and, I won a work casserole cook-off this week with your Quinoa Lasagna recipe! So many people asked for the recipe and I sent them your way!
How cool that you won!! Thanks so much!
I couldn’t find the broccoli rabe in the store, I was thinking of subbing this with kale or chard since I have some on hand. Do you think that would work?
Hi Dany! I think that will work great! You could also add some smaller broccoli florets too. Hope you love this!
This was so delicious I can hardly believe it!
Just finished devouring this this chili a few minutes ago, it was SO fantastic! My fiance raved & even got secondss ;D I actually cooked it on the stove top in about an hour. Also, subbed kale because the store didn’t have broccoli rabe. Thanks for a great Sunday dinner!
I assume you cut the chicken into small pieces, but you didn’t indicate. Please let me know. Also your article indicated kale was in the dish, but it was not in the list of ingredients. What quantity of kale would be used?
Hi Dan,
You leave the chicken whole and then shred it at the end of cooking. Also, there is no kale in this recipe, just the broccoli rabe. Hope you love the chili!
I want to make this but I don’t eat meat. Would you suggest more beans or vegetarian sausage? Also, broccoli rabe can be hard to find around me…do you think mustard greens would be a good substitute? Thank you!
HI Hannah!
I personally would use beans and I would use just regular broccoli in place of broccoli rabe. OR you could do a mis of broccoli and mustard greens. Hope you love this!
What an interesting take on chili! Broccoli and chicken together are such a great comfort food for me. I’ll have to try this out!
Been loving all of your fall recipes!! Wondering what roasted veggies you usually eat and how you cook them? Are there certain combos you love?
HI!! I LOVE carrots, brussels sprouts, butternut + acorn squash, sweet potatoes, beets, pumpkin, basically any root vegetable OH and broccoli, I love broccoli! 🙂 I just do olive oil. salt + pepper. SUPER simple! Sometimes I like to add balsamic vinegar OR cinnamon/pumpkin spice! 🙂
Hope that helps!
for those of us without slow cookers, would this work in a lage dutch oven or cast iron post?
HI! Yes, this will work great made on the stove. No big deal at all. Just simmer on low heat for 3-4 hours. Hope you love this and let me know if you have any other questions!!
AH, rabe!!! Must be my favourite green leaf in the world!! I usually go for turnip rabe, as I love the slightly bitter sting of it, but actually any rabe will do, for me!!! This soup looks beyond amazing and delicious, so I’m replicating it pretty soon, for sure!!
http://bloglairdutemps.blogspot.pt/
This is so hearty and full of autumnal warmth! Soups taste best this time of the year! Can’t wait to try! 🙂
Great chili recipe!! Pure comfort food!! I can’t wait to make this!!
Just pinned this. Can’t wait to try it!
I seriously love this chili! The Italian flavors are brilliant, just what I want for Sunday night dinner! 🙂