White Chicken Chili

Cold winter days have me craving warm soups! Last night my goal was to make a kid-friendly White Chicken Chili. Knowing my kids probably wouldn’t go for anything too spicy, I dialed back the quantities of the usual seasonings. If you like more of a kick to your chili, just double the cayenne and add another jalapeno pepper.

Many of the chicken chili recipes call for hours of slow cooking but since it was a school night, I needed to substitute canned beans to gain some time.  Boiled chicken adds the most flavor to the soup base so I didn’t cut that step out. I started with a freshly cut chicken from Eckert’s Meat Department. After boiling it and allowing it to cool, my kitchen helper, Ella, removed the chicken from the bones. (Bless her heart for loving to take chicken off the bone!) My seven-year-old son helped measure the seasonings and make the thickener for the soup.

In just over an hour, we had dinner on the table and a delightful smell in the air. I think everyone enjoys dinner more when they have a hand “in the pot.” We will be making this soup again for Super Bowl Sunday. It is a perfect pairing for craft beer, Eckert’s tortilla chips and Eckert’s Salsa.

Eat well this winter, Angie

Ingredients

• White Chicken Chili
• 1 whole chicken, cut up
• 2 cups of water, approximately
• 2 tsp Better than Boullion Chicken Base (or approximately 2 cups chicken broth)
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 whole diced green chilies
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and sliced
• 1 Tbsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp paprika
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 16oz cans northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 Tbsp cornmeal
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack, divided
• Kosher salt and white pepper to taste
• Cilantro leaves, for garnish
• Eckert’s Fresh Salsa, for garnish

Instructions

1. Place chicken pieces in a large pot, fill pot with enough water to just cover chicken pieces. Cover pot and simmer over medium heat 25 to 30 minutes. Remove chicken pieces and place on a sheet pan to cool for 20 minutes, reserving cooking liquid. Remove meat from bones and set aside.
2. Pour cooking liquid through a mesh strainer and measure liquid. Add enough water to bring liquid to a total of 8 cups and return to cooking pot. Add 2 teaspoons of Better than Bouillon Chicken Base to liquid (if using chicken stock, add just enough to total 8 cups after straining step.)
3. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt butter and add onions and garlic. Saute for 3-5 minutes. Pour chicken liquid into Dutch oven with onions. Add green chilies, jalapeno, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper. Place lid on pot and reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Add rinsed beans and chicken and stir.
4. In a small bowl whisk together milk and cornmeal, then pour into the chili. Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes to thicken. Stir in 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.