Considering it’s January, I think a chili recipe is in order.  This is one of my favorites…I like it a lot better than traditional chili, but that’s just me.  The other thing is, it’s easssssy. That’s never a bad thing.  I’ve adapted this some to fit my chaotic life, and yours too.  Also, this recipe can be as spicy or as mild as your family likes.  I only add one can of chilies and omit the cayenne pepper – although I’d realllllly like to put them in!

Let me make a note about when a recipe calls for cooked chicken.  To save myself time, energy and money, I periodically cook up a whole chicken.  I throw it in a pot on the stove, add a little water in the bottom, cover and simmer for an hour or two.  When it’s finished I pull all the meat off the bones and place it in 3 freezer bags, 2 cups each.  Then when a recipe calls for chicken, I just grab a bag out of the freezer.  For this chili recipe I actually cooked an entire chicken and used half of the meat.  If you are attached to breast meat, then by all means stick with that, but this is a cheaper, maybe easier, alternative.

White Bean Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

2 cans White Northern Beans (or other white bean of your choice), drained and rinsed

1 1/2 lbs of cooked chicken

3 cups chicken stock or broth

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

2 (4 oz) cans chopped green chilies

4 garlic cloves, crushed/pressed/minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3-4 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

3-4 jalapenos, halved, seeded and coarsely chopped

sour cream and extra cheese for serving

Heat oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven.  Add the onions and cook over moderate heat until translucent, about 4 minutes.  Add the canned chilis, garlic, cumin, and cayenne and cook, stirring for about 3 minutes. Add the beans, chicken, stock, and 3 cups of cheese. Simmer for 10 minutes and add salt to taste.

Ladle the chili into bowls and serve topped with chopped jalapenos, sour cream and extra cheese.