Mrs. Lang

Recently, the generous parents at Summit Christian Academy brought in some yummies for us to enjoy at a very special luncheon.  Certainly the highlight of the event was the delicious slow cooker full of white bean chili.  I only got two bowlfuls, likely because some of my colleagues were being somewhat selfish and not eating all that delicious salad I didn’t take, but such is life.  Fortunately, Mrs. Foster in her infinite wisdom requested the recipe from Mrs. Lang, and I am passing it on to you, without her permission.  Please don’t tell her.  Enjoy it anyway.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Soak: overnight

Cook: 2 hours and 20 minutes

N.B.: once you try this cheesy white bean chili, you may never go back to the red stuff.

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried Great Northern beans
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 (4.5-ounce) cans chopped green chilies, undrained
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 5 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
• 3 cups (12 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño peppers
• ½  teaspoon salt
• ¼  teaspoon pepper
• ¼  cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Procedure

· Sort and rinse beans; place in a large Dutch oven.  Cover with water 2 inches above beans; let soak overnight.  Drain; set beans aside.

· Sauté onion in hot oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until tender.  Add green chilies and next 3 ingredients; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add beans and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours or until beans are tender, stirring occasionally.

· Add chicken, 1 cup cheese, salt, and pepper.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes, stirring often.  Stir in cilantro, if desired.

· To serve, ladle chili into individual soup bowls.  Top each serving with remaining 2 cups cheese.

Yield: 13 cups

Per 1-cup serving:

• Calories 359
• Fat 12.3g
• Cholesterol 71mg
• Sodium 984mg