Recipe: Southern Living White Chili (4 recipes)

White Bean Chili

1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 skinned and boned chicken breast halves, cut into bite-size pieces
3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 (15-ounce) cans cannellini or great Northern beans, rinsed, drained, and divided
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can chicken broth
1 (16-ounce) package frozen shoepeg white corn
2 (4.5-ounce) cans chopped green chiles
3 tablespoons lime juice
Garnish: fresh cilantro sprigs

Saut chopped onion in hot oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat 7 minutes; add garlic, and saut 2 to 3 minutes.Stir in chicken pieces, and cook, stirring constantly, until chicken is lightly browned. Stir in 3 cups water and next 5 ingredients; reduce heat, and simmer, stirring often, 10 minutes or until chicken is done.

Place 2 cans of beans in a blender; add broth, and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides.

Stir bean pure , remaining 2 cans of beans, corn, and chiles into chicken mixture in Dutch oven; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring often, 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in lime juice just before serving. Garnish, if desired.

Note: Use a handheld submersion blender to pure the beans and broth, if desired.

Yield: Makes 4 quarts
Southern Living, JANUARY 2002

White Christmas Chili

4 skinned and boned chicken breast halves
5 cups water
1 large onion, chopped and divided
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 celery ribs, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
3 (16-ounce) cans great Northern beans, rinsed, drained, and divided
3 (4.5-ounce) cans chopped green chiles
1 cup canned chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
Toppings: tortilla chips, shredded Colby-Jack cheese, salsa, sour cream

Place chicken, 5 cups water, and half of onion in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and cook 15 to 18 minutes or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken, reserving broth in Dutch oven. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces; set aside.Melt butter in a skillet; add celery and remaining onion, and saut until tender.

Stir chicken, celery mixture, 2 cans beans, and next 6 ingredients into broth in Dutch oven, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 1 hour, stirring frequently, until thickened.

Process remaining 1 can beans in a blender until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Stir bean pure into chili.

Remove and discard bay leaf; stir in cilantro just before serving with desired toppings.

Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings
Southern Living, NOVEMBER 2002

White Lightening Texas Chili

Unheard of in this country until soldiers brought it back from Italy in WWII, oregano now lends its flavor to chili hailing from the Lone Star state.

1 pound dried navy beans
4 (14 1/2-ounce) cans ready-to-serve chicken broth, divided
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ground white pepper
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
5 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 (4 1/2-ounce) cans chopped green chiles, undrained
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 jalape o pepper, seeded and chopped
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Salsa
Sour cream
Sliced green onions

Sort and wash beans; place in a large Dutch oven. Cover with water 2 inches above beans; let soak 8 hours. Drain beans, and return to Dutch oven. Add 3 cans chicken broth, chopped onion, and next 5 ingredients. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours or until beans are tender.Add remaining can of chicken broth, chicken, and next 4 ingredients. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve with cheese, salsa, sour cream, and green onions.

Yield: Makes 11 cups
Southern Living, FEBRUARY 2003

White Christmas Chili

8 skinned and boned chicken breast halves
2 medium onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans chicken broth
4 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained*
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and mashed*
2 (4.5-ounce) cans chopped green chiles
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
Toppings: sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro

Cut chicken into bite-size pieces.Saut chicken, onion, and garlic in hot oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat 10 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in broth and next 10 ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Serve with desired toppings.*5 (15-ounce) cans great Northern beans may be substituted.

Yield: Makes 10 cups
Southern Living, NOVEMBER 1998