Can You Take the Heat (Ghost Pepper) Chili? (Adaptable, so it's not too intense)

Right about now, you may be asking yourself, "Is one of the ingredients in this chili really a Ghost Pepper?!?!?!"  Allow me the chance to explain.....

Changing the subject for just a minute, I have to say that I love Labor Day weekend!  It means Fall is quickly approaching and chili is always a comforting dish for any dinner or gathering; especially with the start of football season.  A great thing about this particular chili too, is that it can be made in a slow cooker, or on any stove top!  I've actually prepared it both ways and you honestly wouldn't know the difference.

Ok.....back to the topic of the ghost pepper.  Please don't freak out and be turned off by this recipe because of it.  Yes, it is one of the ingredients in this chili, and yes, I'm very aware that they're beyond extremely hot, (especially when the package says handle with latex gloves) but you can always choose to leave it out.  In fact, you can leave out any of the peppers that are called for and the chili would still be delicious.  I've prepared this dish both with peppers (for the heat) and without the peppers, and it's just as good either way you decide to make it.  However, the motto around our home, at least for Jeff, always seems to be, "The hotter, the better".  Unlike Jeff though, I can handle some heat, but I really struggle to find any joy in burning my mouth off while I'm eating.  Keeping that in mind, I did sample a few bites of this chili (not a whole bowl) and lived.

Tasty Suggestion:

This time, I decided to dish the chili out onto a cornbread waffle.  Oh....my....god....We will definitely be doing this again in the future!  Not only was it incredibly easy (just toss the cornbread batter onto a waffle iron and let cook) but it took the idea of serving just a bowl of chili to a wonderfully delicious new level!  I highly recommend trying it out.

Can You Take the Heat Chili?
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Ingredients:

2 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
1 habanero pepper, very finely chopped
1 ghost pepper, whole
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup chili powder
2 TBSP. cumin
1 TBSP. paprika
¼ - ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
½ cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
2 (15 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1 (15 oz.) can Kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can Black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can Chili beans, with juice (I buy the hot version)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Add some water to a skillet and cook the chicken until the juices run clear and it’s easy to shred.

Coat a slow cooker with a non-stick cooking spray and add in all the ingredients, including the shredded chicken.  Stir around and cook on high for 3-5 hours.

Alternative Cooking Method– Combine all the ingredients together in a large skillet, cover, and let simmer on the stove top for 1 hour.

Source: Inspired by Debbi Does Dinner