The first recipe I’m developing is for white chicken chili, a soup I’ve always really liked in theory, but not always on the actual spoon. David, Julia and I had a tasty one at Nana’s Soup House a couple weeks ago, but it was a little too liquid-y. I reviewed several recipes, including this one and this one Shelley posted on Facebook, and then came up with my own take on it, which I whipped up tonight after Julia went to sleep (I prepped the chicken and beans over the past couple days).
Ingredients:
About 1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast
1 Bay leaf
1 large sprig of rosemary
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups Great northern beans (soaked overnight, then simmered for about an hour)
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, diced
4 gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon chili pepper
1 1/2 cups roasted corn
36 ounces chicken broth
2 jalapeno peppers, diced
Salt and pepper
I sliced the chicken breasts into thin pieces and poached it in water with a bay leaf and half a sprig of rosemary until it was cooked through. Once it was cool, I shredded most of it using a vegetable grater and my hands. I sliced part of it into cubes just to see which consistency we preferred. In my French oven, I heated up the olive oil and sauteed the onion until transluscent. Meanwhile, I roasted frozen corn in the stove at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. I then added the potatoes, chili pepper and garlic to the onion, mixed for a few minutes and then added the corn and chicken broth. I took out about two cups of the veggies and blended it until it was smooth and creamy, then added it back into the pot. Added jalapeno peppers and chicken and let simmer for about 30 minutes.
David and I each had a couple small bowls afterward.
What we liked: It tasted and looked really good. It had a nice creamy consistency without any milk. Shredded over cubed chicken.
What we didn’t like: There wasn’t anything surprising.
What to try next time: Adding diced roasted red peppers. Spicing it up a bit more (more jalapenos, more chili powder, perhaps some coriander and cumin). Adding more liquid. Roasting the corn for longer so more pieces are browned.
