Chicken Chili with White Beans

  

    I absolutely love soups and stews, especially chili! It is one of my favorite things about cold weather, and here lately, it's about the only good thing about the weather we are having. Well chili, boots, and scarves are about the only good things about this yucky weather! I usually make my chili nice and spicy with beef and kidney beans. But this time I wanted something a little milder so I decided to go with chicken chili. Chicken chili is just as yummy and much lighter than traditional beef chili. I kept it mild this time by using diced green chilis but I have used jalapeños in the past when I wanted some heat. Of course this recipe is best when simmered for several hours for  it to thicken and for the flavors to meld but it would still be delicious after 30 minutes or so.

 

 

Chicken Chili with White Beans

 

1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
3-4 cups cooked chicken, shredded
2tsp cumin
1/2 tsp Chipotle pepper powder(can substitute chili powder)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 cans diced green chilis or jalapeños
2 cans white beans, rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth

Garnishes:

sour cream
green onions
cheese

 

In a large stock pot, saute onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Add chicken and spices, and stir to combine. Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil. Turn heat down low and simmer for several hours if possible.
Serve in soup bowls with desired toppings. I like to top mine with the a dollop of sour cream and stir it in to make it nice and creamy. Yummmm!

Creamy Ranch Pork Chili

I love making soups and stews this time of year.  I make some sort of soup almost every week during the winter. It is so nice to have something warm and comforting on a cold winter night. It also doesn't hurt that most are a cinch to prepare. This week, I thought soup would be a great way to use the leftovers from the other night when I made slow roasted pork shoulder. This recipe is kind of a cross between chili and brunswick stew, but it's creamy like a chowder. The original recipe is made in a slow cooker, but I cooked mine in a big pot on the stove. That's just my preference. If you prefer to use a slow cooker just skip the onion and garlic step, throw everything else in your slow cooker, and cook on low 6-8 hours.


Creamy Ranch Pork Chili
 adapted from Plain Chicken


1/2 onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic. minced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, undrained
1 can Rotel, undrained
1 package ranch dressing mix
1 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 8 oz package light cream cheese
3/4 cup chicken broth
1lb pork shoulder, shredded


Heat olive oil in a large pot over med/high heat. Add onion and garlic to pan and saute until translucent. Add remaining ingredients, except cream cheese, and stir to combine. Place cream cheese on top. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Stir cream cheese into chili and serve.