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Crockpot Butternut Chicken Chili with Black Beans! This protein packed chili made easy in the crockpot fills your kitchen with wonderful flavors and your stomach with nourishing, healthy ingredients! Gluten Free + Low Calorie

The benefit of having a new hip is you feel better and can do more than you ever imagined. That benefit comes with limitations though like last week when I wanted nothing more than to run. It was one of those moments when I just needed running to clear my tangled brain.

Then, a few days later, I was at the gym, and was about to do jumping jacks in between sets when I realized those are off limits too.

Basically, no jumping or running is allowed with a joint replacement. That's a tough reality for me to deal with because a) I feel so good and b) I hate having limitations placed on me. I'm so darn stubborn I feel like I should always be the exception to medical rules.

Yesterday after an 8 mile power walk, I realized it was exactly this kind of thinking that was generating negative energy in me and filtering into other areas of my life. Instead of focusing on what I can't do, I told myself to focus on WHAT I CAN DO. See how powerful walking {or any fitness} is? It helps you solve stuff!

P.S. I'm a crazy fast walker. Like 12-13-14 minute miles. The pace of a slow runner so I guess technically you could say it's running without the impact.

But back to the moral of the story...

You see when we focus on the negative or bad qualities within ourselves they impair us from reaching goals. Seeing the positive in yourself can be hard thing to do though.

In fact, most of my clients don't realize they're doing this until I point it out to them. Sometimes you need someone from the outside to show you your greatness within. A huge benefit of working with a health coach!

So instead of fixating myself on not being able to run, I keep reminding myself how just a few months ago I couldn't walk more than 5 miles or cook and shoot a recipe without a tremendous amount of pain.

Now that I'm pain free, I'm more mobile which means more walking and delicious recipes like this Crockpot Butternut Chicken Chili!

This particular recipe was an experiment gone oh so right. I seriously looked in my refrigerator one night at a smorgasbord of things - leftover butternut (from Butternut Spinach Breakfast Bake), left over sweet potato (from Turkey Sweet Potato Casserole) and a half bag of pre sliced bell peppers from Trader Joe's.

I knew I had to do something with all these nibbles and bits, and when I have those episodes I know the crockpot is always the solution! So I thawed some chicken breasts, tossed everything but the kitchen sink into the pot and said a little prayer.

Apparently my prayer was answers because this Crockpot Butternut Chicken Chili is one of the best chilis I've ever made and has 17-18 grams of protein per bowl. Seriously so good, hand me a spoon!

The options are endless for this recipe so those of you on various diets can easily adjust to your needs. For example, you could omit the beans for a Paleo version or you could omit the chicken for a Vegan or vegetarian version.

Don't forget to stir in some Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt before serving though. It makes it extra creamy!

No matter how you do it, the flavors and seasonings are incredible! This Crockpot Butternut Chicken Chili is a comforting dinner that you know you're really getting your nutrition bang for your buck. I'd say that's pretty impressive for a kitchen sink dinner, don't you?

What I Used For The Recipe

About Megan

Megan is a certified nutrition practitioner, author, freelance food photographer and fitness instructor living in Phoenix, Arizona. On her blog, Skinny Fitalicious she shares EASY, gluten free recipes for weight loss. Follow Megan on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates.

Crockpot Butternut Chicken Chili {GF, Low Cal}