Bless Her Heart

I may have said this before, but there are two foods that most people love that I personally do not like at all – ice cream and spaghetti.

I don’t like spaghetti because most spaghetti and other pasta meals contain tomato sauce or paste…and pasta.

These are the meals that we all make when we first start learning how to cook…

And once we learn to make these foods, you have some variation of them night after night after night.

But this chili is different than the standard chili containing processed tomato products.

White Chili is a warming comfort food that contains hearty beans, tender chicken and a thick, creamy white sauce.

Beans: Use either Cannellini or Great Northern beans. Beans add creaminess and a hearty texture to the dish. Great Northern beans are naturally starchy beans. They are the secret to this stew’s thick consistency. For this reason, there is no reason to use a thickener such as cornstarch or flour. Cannellini or white navy beans can also be used in this recipe.

Chicken Broth: Always use low sodium-free chicken broth. You do not want  seasoning your foods. Not to mention that we typically use enough salt in our food already. If your broth does contain salt, then use less in the rest of the recipe.

Chicken: You can use chicken breast or thighs in this recipe. The main thing is to make sure that you cut your chicken into bite-size pieces and trim off any fat.

Cornstarch: Cornstarch is completely optional, but it does make the chili creamier and thicker,

Peppers:

• Diced green chiles: Canned green chiles add a punch of flavor. Be sure to buy mild chiles unless you actually do want a very spicy chili.
• Jalapeño Peppers: Jalapeños make the chili spicier. Canned jalapenos are great for this recipe.
• Poblano Peppers:  Poblano peppers provide a milder kick.

Dairy: Adding cream cheese will give the chili a deliciously creamy texture. Be sure to cut the cream cheese evenly into cubes so that it will melt better. You could also use heavy cream, Neufchatel cheese. sour cream or a combination of the four.

Spices: Contrary to what many food manufacturers would have you to believe, there is no one “perfect” blend of seasonings that should be used in chili. It’s a matter of personal preference. Feel free to tweak the spices in this recipe until you’re happy. Just be sure to use less than you think that you will need. It’s always easier to add more spice than to try to make a food less spicy.

A few spices to consider adding to your chili are…cayenne pepper, chili powder, coriander, cumin, onion powder, oregano, paprika and red pepper flakes. (And don’t forget Italian seasoning. I hear that I’m not the only one who uses this in any recipe that calls for parsley, sage, rosemary or thyme.)

Toppings: A few toppings to consider adding to your chili are…

• diced avocado
• freshly squeezed lime juice
• jalapeno slices
• shredded “yellow” cheese – cheddar, Monterey jack, pepper jack
• sour cream
• tortilla chips

Produce: I usually don’t like a lot of vegetables in my chili, especially vegetables such as carrots and corn. That just seem strange.

If you are using vegetables, be sure to cut them into small pieces and saute them before simmering the chili. Nothing can destroy the deliciousness of your chili more than raw, crunchy vegetables (assuming that you get your spices right).

A few vegetables to consider adding to your chili include…

• Celery
• Fresh Cilantro
• Fresh Oregano
• Garlic
• Green Bell Pepper
• Lime
• Onion

(Ingredients)’

• 3 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 4C low-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 2½C shredded cooked rotisserie or left-over chicken
• 1Tbsp cornstarch
• 8oz canned chopped green chiles
• 1 jalapeño, minced (seeds removed, if you don’t like it spicy!)
• 2 poblano peppers, minced (seeds removed, if you don’t like it spicy!)
• 8oz Neufchatel or cream cheese, cut into small cubes
• ½C sour cream
• ½tsp chili powder
• 2tsp cumin
• 2tsp Italian seasoning
• ½tsp paprika
• 2Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1C shredded Monterey Jack cheese.
• 4 celery ribs, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1C corn
• 2Tbsp olive oil
• 1tsp kosher salt
• 1tsp pepper.
• 3Tbsp cornmeal
• ½C heavy cream
• Optional: cilantro, sliced jalapeno pepper, tortilla chips, monterrey jack cheese, Tabasco
• 2Tbsp olive oil
• 4 diced celery ribs, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 diced bell pepper, 1 diced onion
• 2½C shredded cooked rotisserie or left-over chicken, 45oz canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained, 4C low-sodium chicken broth, 8oz canned chopped green chiles, 1 minced jalapeño, 2 minced poblano peppers, ½tsp chili powder, 2tsp cumin, 2tsp Italian seasoning, ½tsp paprika, 2Tbsp fresh lime juice,  1C corn, 1tsp kosher salt, 1tsp pepper
• 1Tbsp cornstarch
• 8oz Neufchatel or cream cheese, ½C sour cream, ½C heavy cream, 1C shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• Optional: cilantro, sliced jalapeno pepper, tortilla chips, monterrey jack cheese, Tabasco

Saute the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a 6 quart enameled Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, celery, garlic, jalapeno peppers, problano peppers and bell pepper. Cook seven minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened.

Stir: Add all of the ingredients listed in the second paragraph above – spices, canned goods, cooked chicken – into the Dutch oven.

Simmer: Bring the mixture to a boil Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 15 minutes.

Smoosh: Transfer 1C beans and ¼C broth from the soup to a food processor or blender. Blend until nearly smooth. You could also use a potato masher if you don’t have a food processor or blender. (bless your heart)…

Slurry: Another option is to add a cornstarch slurry. To do this, stir together 1Tbsp cornstarch with 2Tbsp water. Add to the Dutch oven. Add more as needed.

Simmer: Now add the dairy ingredients. Let the chili simmer about 20 minutes longer.

Serve: Serve with Monterrey Jack cheese, jalapeno peppers, sour cream, and tortilla chips. And don’t forget the Tabasco sauce,

Slow Cooker: If you are cooking your chili in the crockpot, it is not necessary that your chicken already be cooked. Just throw the raw chicken and that infamous first paragraph of ingredients into the crockpot. Cook on low for at least six hours, until chicken is cooked through and falling apart. Remove chicken. Shred. Add the shredded chicken and whatever dairy products you are using into the chili.

To refrigerate leftovers: Store the cooked chili in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat individual bowls in the microwave or larger portions over low heat on the stove.

To freeze: Transfer the cooled soup to an airtight container. Freeze for up to three months. Let the soup thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Reheating over low heat on the stove or in the crockpot.(Note that if you make it ahead of time, you will probably need to add more broth or water to thin it out.)