Spicy Slow-Cooker Veggie Chili with Summer Squash and Jalapeños

This colorful chili is delicious with sour cream, diced avocados, and warm tortillas or lime-flavored tortilla chips. For less heat, omit the jalapeño.

• 
  
  1⁄4 cup vegetable oil, divided
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 cups red bell peppers, diced (about 1)
  
  


• 
  
  1-1⁄2 cups green bell peppers, diced (about 1)
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup scallions, white, light green, and some dark green parts, thinly sliced (about 4)
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. minced garlic
  
  


• 
  
  2 tsp. minced jalapeño (1 small)
  
  


• 
  
  2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
  
  


• 
  
  5 grinds black pepper
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. chili powder
  
  


• 
  
  4 cups yellow summer squash, diced (about 2)
  
  


• 
  
  1 15-oz. can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
  
  


• 
  
  1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
  
  


• 
  
  1⁄4 cup tomato paste
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. minced chiles or liquid from a can of chipotle chiles en adobo
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
  
  


• 
  
  1 28-oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with juice
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup low-sodium vegetable stock
  
  


• 
  
  3 Tbs. fresh-squeezed, strained lime juice
  
  


• 
  
  1⁄2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  
  


• 
  
  Tortilla chips, for serving (optional)
  
  


• 
  
  Diced avocado, for serving (optional)
  
  


• 
  
  Sour cream, for serving (optional)
  
  

Tip:

To adapt a slow-cooker recipe to a conventional oven, follow these guidelines: add more liquid, to accommodate for greater evaporation; bring the dish to a boil over high heat in a Dutch oven, then cover the pot and put in a 350°F oven. Plan on the dish taking roughly half the time to cook in the oven as it would in the slow cooker.

Heat half of the oil in a 10-inch, heavy sauté pan over medium-high heat. When warm, add the bell peppers, scallions, garlic, jalapeño, half of the salt, the black pepper, and chili powder, and sauté until the vegetables are softened, about 6 minutes. Add the squash and sauté until slightly softened, another 3 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker, add the beans, and mix well.

Reduce the heat to medium under the sauté pan and add the remaining oil, plus the tomato paste, chiles or chipotle liquid, and flour. Cook until the mixture is thickened and the flour disappears, about 1 minute. Increase the heat to high and add the tomatoes with their juices, the stock, lime juice, and remaining salt. Boil, stirring well, for 2 minutes, and pour into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low to meld the flavors, 3 to 4 hours. Stir in the cilantro, and serve with the chips, avocado, and sour cream, if desired.

Spicy Slow-Cooker Veggie Chili with Summer Squash and Jalapeños

This colorful chili is delicious with sour cream, diced avocados, and warm tortillas or lime-flavored tortilla chips. For less heat, omit the jalapeño.

• 
  
  1⁄4 cup vegetable oil, divided
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 cups red bell peppers, diced (about 1)
  
  


• 
  
  1-1⁄2 cups green bell peppers, diced (about 1)
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup scallions, white, light green, and some dark green parts, thinly sliced (about 4)
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. minced garlic
  
  


• 
  
  2 tsp. minced jalapeño (1 small)
  
  


• 
  
  2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
  
  


• 
  
  5 grinds black pepper
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. chili powder
  
  


• 
  
  4 cups yellow summer squash, diced (about 2)
  
  


• 
  
  1 15-oz. can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
  
  


• 
  
  1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
  
  


• 
  
  1⁄4 cup tomato paste
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. minced chiles or liquid from a can of chipotle chiles en adobo
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
  
  


• 
  
  1 28-oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with juice
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup low-sodium vegetable stock
  
  


• 
  
  3 Tbs. fresh-squeezed, strained lime juice
  
  


• 
  
  1⁄2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  
  


• 
  
  Tortilla chips, for serving (optional)
  
  


• 
  
  Diced avocado, for serving (optional)
  
  


• 
  
  Sour cream, for serving (optional)
  
  

Tip:

To adapt a slow-cooker recipe to a conventional oven, follow these guidelines: add more liquid, to accommodate for greater evaporation; bring the dish to a boil over high heat in a Dutch oven, then cover the pot and put in a 350°F oven. Plan on the dish taking roughly half the time to cook in the oven as it would in the slow cooker.

Heat half of the oil in a 10-inch, heavy sauté pan over medium-high heat. When warm, add the bell peppers, scallions, garlic, jalapeño, half of the salt, the black pepper, and chili powder, and sauté until the vegetables are softened, about 6 minutes. Add the squash and sauté until slightly softened, another 3 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker, add the beans, and mix well.

Reduce the heat to medium under the sauté pan and add the remaining oil, plus the tomato paste, chiles or chipotle liquid, and flour. Cook until the mixture is thickened and the flour disappears, about 1 minute. Increase the heat to high and add the tomatoes with their juices, the stock, lime juice, and remaining salt. Boil, stirring well, for 2 minutes, and pour into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low to meld the flavors, 3 to 4 hours. Stir in the cilantro, and serve with the chips, avocado, and sour cream, if desired.

Chicken Cacciatore

My version of this quintessential comfort food strives for a balance of fresh, bright flavors. If you prefer a deeper flavor, you can substitute red wine for the white and add a teaspoon of dry oregano.

• 
  
  1 (3-1/2-lb.) chicken, cut into eighths, or 3 lb. chicken legs and thighs
  
  


• 
  
  2-1/2- to 3-1/2 tsp. kosher salt (divided)
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper (divided)
  
  


• 
  
  1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup plus 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil (divided)
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 lb. button or cremini mushrooms, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (2 cups)
  
  


• 
  
  1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 1-1/2 cups)
  
  


• 
  
  1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 3/4 cups)
  
  


• 
  
  1 large green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 1-1/2 cups)
  
  


• 
  
  1 large clove garlic, finely chopped (about 1 Tbs.)
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 cups dry white wine, such as Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, or Sauvignon Blanc
  
  


• 
  
  1 (28-oz.) can whole tomatoes, with the juice
  
  

Heat the oven to 350°F. Arrange the chicken in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet or plate. Season with 2 tsp. of the salt and 1 tsp. of the pepper. (I like to massage the seasoning into the chicken to ensure it’s evenly distributed.) Place the flour in a shallow dish. Dip the chicken in the flour, making sure to coat it on all sides, then return it to the sheet.


Place a large (12- to 14-inch), straight-sided sauté pan or a Dutch oven over high heat for several minutes. When hot, add 1/4 cup of the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the chicken, skin side down (that way the fat “melts” as it cooks and gives you a bit more sizzle in the pan), in a single layer and sauté over high heat without moving it for about 4 minutes, or until browned on the first side. (If the pieces stick, that means they haven’t browned long enough. Let them cook a bit longer. If sticking continues to be a problem, use a sharp-edged spatula to loosen the skin from the pan.) Turn the chicken over and repeat, lowering the heat to medium-high if it gets too dark too quickly. Transfer the browned chicken to a clean baking sheet, trying to leave as much oil as possible in the pan.


Let the pan heat up for a minute over high heat. Add the mushrooms, season with the remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. black pepper, and let them sauté, without stirring, for about 2 minutes. Stir and let the mushrooms sauté undisturbed for another 2 minutes. Stir again and repeat, if necessary, until they’re almost all seared and golden. Remove the mushrooms to the baking sheet with the chicken, leaving as much fat in the pan as possible.


Reduce the heat to medium-high. Add the remaining 3 Tbs. olive oil and then the onions, carrots, and peppers. Sauté until the onions are very soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more, until fragrant.


Deglaze the pan with the wine, stirring to scrape up the browned bits. Add the tomatoes, squeezing them (with clean hands) as you add them to the pan to help them break down faster. Return the chicken and mushrooms to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cover the pan tightly with foil or a lid and place in the oven. Cook

for about 40 minutes, or until the chicken is very tender.


The sauce should be the perfect consistency (like a rich soup rather than pasta sauce), but if it seems at all watery, transfer the chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Simmer the sauce, uncovered, over medium-high heat until thickened, about 5 minutes. (How long this takes depends on how thin the sauce is and the dimensions of your pan. Just keep an eye on it so you don’t over-reduce it). Taste and add 1 more tsp. salt if needed. Serve with rice, pasta, or crusty bread.