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Рецепт #FeedItForward in Your Own Community + an economical, nutritious recipe for Chicken Chili Rice and Beans
by Barry C. Parsons

Chicken Chili Rice and Beans – a deliciously economical and nutritious way to feed a crowd without sacrificing flavour. Feeds up to six for about $12.

Chicken Chili Rice and Beans

As do many of you reading this, I come from a privileged position of never having known hunger. There was always a bounty of food available in our household when I was growing up and the bounty continues in my own home. Never having to worry about the availability of food is no doubt a major part of the reason that I have been able to explore and develop my love of food into what has now become my job. Looking around my own community, it doesn’t take much effort to see that many others are not so lucky.

Every year in this province, the Community Food Sharing Association collects over 8 million pounds of food to distribute to 56 food banks. That is an amazing statistic for a province with a population barely over half a million people. Even more worrisome is that 40% of the recipients of food from those food banks are children under the age of 18. It’s clear that cycle needs to be broken and we can all play a part in it. Nationally, 1 in 8 families and 1 in 6 children face hunger on a regular basis. In a country like ours, with such abundance, there is no good reason why every person should not have access to nutritious food. Thankfully, there are many good people and organizations in our communities helping to change this.

When I was contacted by Maple Leaf Foods to Participate in their #FeedItForward campaign, I was also given the opportunity to donate $100 in groceries (via a Visa Gift Card) to the food charity of my choice. I immediately thought of the Community Food Sharing Association. Through efficiencies in their collection and distribution networks and by partnering with corporate sponsors they are able to leverage the delivery of $430 worth of food for every $10 donated. That fact is quite amazing and really underlines the truth that, when giving, any amount is a significant amount. There are many ways to donate online or in person. Be sure to visit their website to see how you can help.

With everyone feeling the pinch of high food prices these days, delicious and economical meals like rice and beans are a welcome addition to any weekly meal plan. Here’s one of our family’s go-to economical dinners that uses less expensive chicken thighs and a few pantry and freezer staples to create a delicious comfort food dinner. This Chicken Chili Rice and Beans recipe is easy to double to feed large groups or to freeze half for later for a quick meal in no time too. Serves up to 6 for around $12

1½ to 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (or breasts), well trimmed of visible fat and diced into bite sized pieces. 2 tbsp canola oil one large onion, diced fine 3 cloves garlic, minced one 28 oz can diced tomatoes one 19 ounce can kidney beans 2 tbsp chili powder (or more to taste) ½ tsp ground cumin 2 cups frozen corn (thawed) salt and pepper to season 4 - 6 cups cooked steamed rice

In a dutch oven, heat the canola oil over medium heat and add the diced chicken. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the chicken has lightly browned. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. Add the onions and garlic to the pot and cook until the onions begin to soften. Add the tomatoes, kidney beans, chili powder and cumin. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the browned chicken back to the pot along with the thawed corn and bring back to a simmer for an additional 15 minutes before serving over the steamed rice. 3.4.3177

This blog post was sponsored by Maple Leaf Foods but the opinions are completely my own based on my experience.