Chipotle Chicken and Chard Chili

• 1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, cut into small slices / chunks*
• 1-1/2 Teaspoons Cornstarch or Arrowroot
• Couple Pinches of Salt (optional)
• 1-1/2 Tablespoon Olive Oi
• 1/2 Large Onion, diced or 1 Leek, sliced 1/4-inch thick and quartered
• 2 Garlic Cloves, crushed or minced
• 1/2 to 3/4 Teaspoon Salt or to taste, divided
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1-1/2 Teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 Teaspoon Chipotle Chili Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1-1/2 to 2 Tablespoons Flour (your choice, I used whole wheat pastry flour), depending on how thick you l
• 1 15- ounce can Cannellini or White Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 Large Bunch Swiss Chard, stems removed, leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces (my bunch with stems was about 3/4 lb) OR 1 Bag of Baby Spinach Leaves (should chard be hard to come by in your area)
• 1 Cup frozen corn, thawed
• 2 Cups Regular or Low-Sodium Chicken Broth (I used regular)
• White or Brown Rice for serving (optional)

Preparation

1 Place the chicken in a medium-sized bowl, and stir in the cornstarch or arrowroot (I like to add a pinch or two of salt here too) until it is well-distributed and appears absorbed. Set aside.
2 Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion or leek and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until nice and softened.
3 Add the garlic and sauté for just 30 seconds or so. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the chicken, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the spices – cumin, fennel, oregano, and chili powder.
4 Cook while continuously stirring, until the chicken is cooked (no pink showing). This will take about 7 or 8 minutes.
5 If the chicken threatens to stick, just add a dash or two of the broth.
6 Stir in the flour to coat, and add the broth, beans, chard, and corn. The chard will look boisterous, but don’t worry, it cooks down significantly.
7 Bring the mixture to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low, and allow it to simmer for at least 30 minutes, or up to an hour.
8 The liquid will reduce in half and thicken a fair bit. Taste test it as it is cooking, and season to taste with additional salt (I used another 1/4 teaspoon) if desired.
9 You can also add a pinch or two of crushed red pepper as it cooks if you want more spice, but we found the medium-heat to be just right as is.

Source: www.onefrugalfoodie.com