Victory Homemaking: White Chicken Chili

Thursday, January 5, 2012

White Chicken Chili

I live in God's Country. The Pacific Northwest has got to be one of the most beautiful places anywhere. But...it has been a chilly, wet and dreary spring so far...pretty normal for this neck of the woods. I need some Vitamin D!!!

Now that I have whined a little, I want to share a recipe that I made for dinner the other night. Another of my family's favorite soups, this one has the potential to really raise the heat on a cold evening! It is also a very frugal meal. Take the extra time and use dried beans. (I used to be sooooo afraid of dried beans...you too?) You'll end up with a stick-to-your-ribs satisfying soup that doesn't make your checkbook cry!

White Chicken Chili
The Day Before...

1-1/2 C Great Northern Beans
3 C water
3 T lemon juice

Rinse and sort beans. Soak beans overnight in water and lemon juice. (You can also use 4-5 cans of Great Northern Beans which of course you don't need to soak...but it just costs a bunch more and there is stuff in those cans of beans that you really don't need...)

Soup Day Ingredients:

2 T olive oil
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 carrot, chopped
2 boneless chicken breasts, chopped
5 C chicken broth
2 4oz. cans of chopped green chilies
2 t ground cumin (Taco seasoning also works in a pinch)
2 t dried oregano
Soaked beans

Rinse and drain beans. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, carrot and chopped chicken and saute until vegetables are tender and chicken is done (or close to done). Place into crockpot.
Deglaze skillet with some of the chicken broth. Add to the crockpot along with remaining broth, vegetables, chicken and spices. Simmer in crockpot for 6-8 hours on low.
Prior to serving, use a potato masher or hand-held blender to mash up at least 50% of the beans. This will give the soup a wonderful, rich consistency.
To serve, top with: