White Chili

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Dry bean cooking time: 2 hours
Yield: 5 servings (1 pint/serving)

Ingredients

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, drained OR 1/2 pound dry white beans
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped, about 1 1/2 cups
  • 1 clove garlic, minced, about 1 teaspoon
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 4-ounce cans chopped green chilies
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 jalapeño or serrano pepper, finely chopped
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or ground turkey
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese

If cooking dry beans:

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 bay leaf

Instructions

  1. If using dry beans, cook them first: Place the soaked beans in a medium pot and cover with a couple inches of hot water, about 2 quarts. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 chopped garlic clove, and one bay leaf. Heat on high to bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to very low to maintain a low simmer. Cook for 2 to 3 hours or until the beans are cooked through and tender. Drain.
  2. Sauté onions with seasonings: In a large thick-bottomed pot, sauté onions in olive oil on medium high heat until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, cloves, and cayenne and cook a minute more. Add the green chiles and dried oregano. Add the minced jalapeño or serrano chile if using.
  3. Add chicken and stock, and simmer: Add the chicken and chicken stock. Increase the heat to high, bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover and maintain the simmer for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
  4. Add cooked beans: Add the drained cooked beans and cook for 15 minutes more. Taste for seasonings and add more salt to taste. Depending on how salty your chicken stock and beans are, you may need to add a teaspoon or more.

Adapted from Simply Recipes.

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