Categories: Chicken Chili

Ingredients

• 1 lb. dried great northern white beans
• or one large glass jar white beans (ready to serve)
• 2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts or one large rotisserie chicken
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 med. onions, chopped
• 4 stalks celery, diced (including leaves)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (4 oz.) cans mild chopped green chilies
• 2 tsp. cumin (I use cumin seeds and grind them myself but regular ground cumin is OK)
• 1 1/2 tsp. oregano
• 1/4 tsp. cloves
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 6 c. chicken stock
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Toppings
• 3 c. grated Monterrey Jack cheese
• Sour cream
• Salsa
• Green Onions
• Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Directions

1. Soak and cook the beans according to package directions. (Omit this step if using jars of beans. Instead drain the beans in a colander and rinse.)

2. Poach the chicken breasts in enough water just to cover. Bring to a simmer and cook 15 minutes, or until done. Let cool in poaching water, remove skin, then dice the chicken. (Omit this step if using rotisserie chicken. Just remove skin and discard, remove chicken from bones, dice the meat and set aside. Refrigerate if not using immediately.)

3. Heat oil and saute onions until translucent. Add chopped celery and saute an additional 10 minutes, being careful not to scorch the onions. Add garlic, stir for a few minutes then add cumin, oregano, cloves and cayenne, stir again. Add canned chilis. Add beans and chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Be careful – the chicken broth and broth are salted. You may not need salt.) You can be generous with all the spices, except the cloves and cayenne – a little goes a long way.

4. Simmer on low heat for 1 hour (don’t let boil). Carefully add chicken and simmer until heated through. (Don’t overstir the chicken to keep the dice intact.)

5. Serve with toppings. Additional topping could include bacon, avocado, corn chips.

Email to a friend | Print this recipe | Back