Recipe: White Bean, Chicken and Pumpkin Chili

WHITE BEAN, CHICKEN AND PUMPKIN CHILI

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 to 2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 pounds fresh pumpkin, seeds and fibers removed
1 (15 ounce) can chicken broth
5 to 6 cups (three cans, 20 ounces each) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 (4 ounce) can chopped mild green chiles
2 to 3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 to 2 teaspoons green Tabasco sauce
1/4 cup minced cilantro

Heat olive oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook onion in oil 1 minute.

Add garlic and pepper, and cook 1 minute longer. Add chicken and salt, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Microwave pumpkin on high for 3 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel and cut into 1-inch chunks to measure 3 cups. Store any remaining pumpkin in refrigerator for up to a week or in freezer for up to 3 months.

Stir in broth, beans, pumpkin, chiles, cumin and Tabasco sauce; cook for 15 minutes over low heat, until chicken is done and pumpkin is easily pierced with a fork. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Serve hot, topping each serving with a pinch of cilantro.

Servings: 8
Source: Pumpkin: A Super Food for All 12 Months of the Year by DeeDee Stovel