White Chili
Original recipe by Hilda Harmon with Alan's tweeks over the years.
Ingredients
(3) 14-ounce cans white northern beans or 2-3 pounds dried
white northern beans
(2) 7-ounce green chili peppers
1 T. salt
2 cups Chicken Stock or 4 cups water
1 T. cumin
1 t. black pepper
1/2 t. chili powder
1/4 t. cayenne/habanero pepper
1/2 t. paprika
1-2 cups frozen corn
2-3 T. butter
1 large onion, diced
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 yellow or green bell peppers, diced
3-4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
1 T. cumin
1/2 cup corn meal or masa
1/2 cup milk
Instructions
If using dry White Northern beans, prepare until done (soft, but not mushy). The best method is the overnight soak.
In heavy pot with tight fitting lid, add Beans,
Chicken Stoc, Green Chilies, frozen corn and spices.
Heat on medium until starts to bubble, then turn down to low.
In a heavy skillet, heat the 1 T. butter on medium. Add onion, cook while stirring. Just before onions are done add garlic and stir to mix. Finish cooking until onions are translucent but not browned. Add to pot with beans.
Repeat process for yellow/green pepper without garlic.
Cut chicken into pieces less than 1/2" is size. Sprinkle with Cumin, salt and pepper. Put into medium hot skillet and cook while stirring until done. Add to pot with beans.
In a small bowl combine the cornmeal and the milk and mix until smooth. Add the cornmeal mixture to the hot soup and stir to combine.
Let the soup cook over low heat for 30-50 more minutes.
Alternative for chicken stock and skillet chicken
Cut any extra fat from the chicken breast and discard. Add the chicken breasts and the water to the pot. Allow the mixture to come to a boil and boil until the chicken is cooked through, about 15
minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside to cool. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, using two forks, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Use broth instead of store bought.
Alternative for vegetarians
For my vegetarian friends, I make a smaller pot of chili without chicken but adding some of the following -
cooked potatos (especially new or small red)
fresh wilted greens
fresh sauteed mushrooms
avacodo when serving
crumbled tortilla chips
Alan Notes
Kathy and I don't like soap, so we leave off the Cilantro
Kathy loves to put noodles, sour cream and lots of Wisconsin cheddar cheese on her chili. I like my plain.
Randall Fully Cooked Deluxe Great Northern Beans 48oz plus a couple cans of Bush Brothers beans are my favorite
beans.
This recipe makes around 8 quarts of chili.