We were not raised eating chili, so the first time we made it, we were compulsive about following the recipe. The recipe we made was from "Chili Madness" by Jane Butel (Workman, 1980), and now that we think of it, it was fairly straightforward-beef, onion, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin and oregano. In her introduction, Butel encouraged readers to "get acquainted" with chile peppers, but we hesitated about experimenting with anything that was described as "fiery" and had to be handled with rubber gloves.

Many pots of chili later, we can honestly say chili lends itself to unlimited variations and is one of the most rewarding dishes a cook can make. Furthermore, it's one of the truly authentic American dishes. Although there is some question about its origins, food historians agree chili, made with cheap cuts of meat, peppers and onions, was the stew that chuckwagon cooks dished out to cowboys working on cattle drives. It was also the one-dish meal that fueled Southwestern prospectors on their way to strike it rich in the California gold rush.

Chili cooks have always been known for having their own ideas about their recipes. We've read that instead of adding pinto beans to their the chili, some purists serve them on the side. And hard as it is to believe, some chilies are made without onions. For our chicken chili, with kale and garbanzos, but not a single tomato, we may have broken a few rules of chili cookery. But one thing we've learned over the years is that it's OK to be creative.

Chicken chili

This is a perfect follow-up to a dinner of roast chicken. Make the chicken stock from the chicken bones, and toss the leftover chicken in the chili. Barley gives it lots of fiber. Look for bags of it next to the rice.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped leeks or onion

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon cumin seed

1 pound ground turkey sausage

3 cups chopped cooked chicken

2/3 cup barley

2 (16-ounce) cans garbanzo beans

2 teaspoons pickled jalapeno

6 cups lower-sodium chicken broth

4 to 8 cups chopped kale (optional)

1/2 cup shredded Monterey jack or Cheddar cheese

Chopped green onions

Sour cream

Directions:

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leeks and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add cumin, cumin seed and turkey sausage. Cook until sausage is browned. Add chopped chicken, barley, beans, jalapeño, broth and kale, if using. Bring to a boil and simmer until barley is cooked, about 20 minutes. Serve topped with cheese, green onions and sour cream. Serves 10.

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