White Chicken Chili

One of my best discoveries of the last 10 years is white chicken chili. I have used several different recipes, there are alot on the internet. This one from Cooking Light Magazine is probably my favorite. I have fallen in love with cannellini beans. They are white kidney beans and add so much to chili, soups and stews. I always keep several in my pantry. Try this recipe on one of our cool days this weekend. Great meal for football games, too.

White Chicken Chili

Cooking spray
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cups finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 (4.5-ounce) cans chopped green chiles, undrained
1 cup water
2 (15.5-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (such as Goya)
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup chopped green onions

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 10 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently.

2. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; sauté 6 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.

3. Add garlic; sauté 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

4. Stir in cumin, dried oregano, and coriander; sauté 1 minute. Stir in chiles; reduce heat to low, and cook 10 minutes, partially covered.

5. Add the chicken, water, cannellini beans, and broth; bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in hot sauce(optional).

6. Ladle 1 cup of chili into each of 8 bowls; sprinkle each serving with 2 tablespoons cheese, 1 tablespoon cilantro, and 1 tablespoon green onions.

Mercy Ingraham, Cooking Light
OCTOBER 2004