A cold wet weekend really calls for a big bowl of chili. At least for my family it does. Believe it or not we’re not huge fans of red chili. We would much rather eat my spicy White Chili. Remember those Hatch green chilies I roasted and froze a while back? Throw some of those in this chili instead of canned green chilies and you have a winner!
The beauty of the recipe is that it is quick and easy. No simmering for hours to get the right blend of flavors. I will admit that I use a box of chicken stock and canned beans, but there is nothing that says you can’t use your own stock and use dried beans. I just don’t like waiting for the beans to soak overnight and then cooking them before I can put them in the chili. Adjust the seasonings to your tastes. With the Hatch chilies I probably used about 1/4 cup of chilies. When I have had to use the sub-par canned chilies in the past, I probably used the two cans and it still didn’t give it a lot of heat or flavor. Instead of plain Monterey Jack cheese I used Pepper Jack to give it even a little more kick.
White Chili
2 medium onions, chopped
2 (14 1/2 oz) cans chicken broth (about 4 cups of broth or stock)
1 tablespoon cooking oil
4 cups cooked chicken, cubed
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 (15 1/2 oz) cans great northern beans, rinsed and drained
2 (4 ounce) cans chopped green chilies
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (or use Pepper Jack for even more of a kick)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
sour cream and sliced jalapeno peppers, optional
In a 3 quart saucepan, saute onions in oil until tender. Stir in garlic, chilies, cumin, oregano, cayenne and cloves; cook and stir 2-3 minutes more. Add broth, chicken and beans; simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese until melted. Garnish with sour cream and jalapeno peppers if desired. Makes 6 servings.
A Little of This and a Little of That 