The perfect tailgate party has at least one big crockpot full of a hearty chili, chowder or stew to keep football fans toasty warm. For your next tailgate party, make up a big batch of chili, chowder or jambalaya, pack it up in a crockpot, add some bread and toppings and you've got the perfect tailgate food.
Chicken Chili
- 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 red bell peppers, chopped
- 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 16-ounce cans diced tomatoes
- 1 cup black olives
- 1 bottle of beer
- 2 cans of white beans, drained
Brown the chicken in 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan until cooked through. Remove to a platter using a slotted spoon and reserving the pan drippings. Heat the pan drippings and remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil over high heat. Stir in onion and garlic. Saute for 5 minutes. Stir in red peppers and jalapeno peppers. Saute over medium heat for 10 minutes. Stir in chili powder, cumin, coriander and cinnamon. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the chicken, undrained tomatoes, black olives and beer. Simmer over medium heat for at least 15 minutes. Add beans at the end. Serve with chopped green onion, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, fresh cilantro, chopped avocado and tortilla chips.
Jambalaya
- 4 chicken breast halves
- 1 ring of kielbasa
- 3 tomatoes, diced
- 1 can stewed tomatoes
- 3 pods crushed garlic
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 package shelled and deveined shrimp
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups cooked rice, cooled
Cut up chicken into large bite sized pieces. Slice sausage into bite-sized pieces. Cook both in a little bit of oil in a large pot until brown. Put tomatoes and stewed tomatoes into pot. Add crushed garlic, celery, bell pepper, onion and bay leaf. Simmer for 40 minutes. Add thyme, cayenne pepper, sugar, pepper and 1 1/2 cups chicken broth. Remove bay leaf. Add raw shrimp and continue to simmer until shrimp is pink. Add rice just before serving.
Old World Sausage and Bean Chowder
- 1 pound bratwurst, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 cup sliced celery
- 1 28-ounce can pork and beans
- 1 13-ounce can chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups half-anf-half
- 4-6 lemon slices
- Chopped chives or green onion tops to garnish
In dutch oven, melt butter. Saute bratwurst, onion and celery until bratwurst is golden brown and vegetables are tender. Add pork and beans, chicken broth, pepper and brown sugar. Stir to blend. Over medium heat, bring mixture to a gentle boil. Turn heat to low, cover tightly and simmer for 40 minutes. Combine flour and half-and-half in a small jar. Cover tightly and shake well to blend. Add to chowder, stirring constantly until thickened. Do not boil. Serve in bowls topped with lemon slice and chopped chives.
Super Bowl Chili
3 pounds beef, cut into small cubes
1 pound bulk Italian sausage
2 onions, chopped
2 green peppers, seeded and chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes
3-6 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1⁄2 teaspoon brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
2 16-ounce cans dark red kidney beans, drained
In a large soup pot over medium heat, brown beef and sausage until cooked through. Remove meat and drain out most of the fat. With the remaining fat in the pot, add onion, green pepper and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Add spices and brown sugar and a little bit of juice from the canned tomatoes; stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add canned tomatoes, with juice, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Add beans and continue cooking for 15 minutes.
German Chowder
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup celery, chopped
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 1/2 stick butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 1 cup Swiss cheese
- 1 cup corned beef
- 1 cup sauerkraut
Cook chopped vegetables in chicken broth until tender. Melt butter in another pan. Add flour. Heat until thickened. Add half-and-half. Add chicken broth and vegetables, followed by corned beef, cheese and sauerkrat. Heat until cheese melts. Serve with rye bread.
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