National Chili Day takes place on the fourth Thursday of February, but its origins are rather sketchy. However, the origin of the chili dish dates back to the 1600s, from a Spanish nun who came up with the dish after an out-of-body experience that brought her to an Indian tribe. Yet, other historians say that chili was first prepared by settlers in San Antonio, Texas in 1723, and the first documented description of the dish was attributed to a J.C. Clopper.

Celebrate National Chili Day the Latina way with these fun ideas:

1) Prepare a tasty dish for the whole family.

Chili is perfect for warming up a cold winter's night in February. This four-ingredient recipe should be easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless chicken breast
3 cans northern white beans, rinsed
14 ounces prepared salsa
16 ounces Monterey jack cheese, coarsely chopped into small cubes
6 cups water

Procedure: Boil the chicken in a large pot of water until it is tender, then shred and set aside. In the same pot, skim off the fat and bits, and then add the shredded chicken, beans and the salsa. Stir and bring to a boil. Let it simmer for about 40 minutes. Add the cheese and let it melt. Season with salt and pepper.

2) Enjoy a Chili Dog.

You can also prepare a good chili dog with this simple but classic recipe. If you don't want to cook, you can still celebrate Chili Day by enjoying this at your favorite restaurant. Several establishments are going to be cooking it up for the Chili holiday.

 This video below shows the best way to enjoy a chili dog:

3) Participate in a Chili Cook-Off.

There are tons of cook-offs happening around the country and it's not just taking place in one day. Check the Chili Cook-off calendar for the dates as there could be one near your area soon. If there aren't any, you might want to start your own cook-off. However, take note that the event rules are copyrighted by International Chili Society, so go over this carefully.

4) Hold a Chili-themed party.

Invite your friends over to celebrate National Chili Day -- it doesn't be a party extravaganza. You can have less than 10 guests so that the mood is more intimate.  But to make the night rather unforgettable, don't forget to serve beer, which matches greatly with chili. You might also want to prepare a DIY chili bar, which will have your friends raving.