Remember when we talked about crock pot gumbo?
I waxed nostalgic about that creole place in Lexington I used to love — Jozo’s. In addition to their fabulous gumbo, jambalaya, and etouffee, they also made an especially delicious white bean chicken chili.
Well, this is not the recipe. BUT… it’s similar.
My Seester sent me a recipe for chicken chili a couple of years ago that our friend Rebecca had sent to her. While it was delicious and all the flavors were there, it was more of a soupy type of chili.
I had Jozo’s thick, gravy-like chili in mind, so I added a roux to the process. It only makes the simple recipe slightly more complicated. You see, I do not have a knack for simplification; it is my style to complicate things. (Just ask my husband.) But it’s REALLY good and totally worth adding the extra step.
So when Seester requested a recipe on the blog for white chicken chili, I realized I had just the thing. Then I realized it was basically the same recipe she sent to me. Wonder if she’ll notice. 🙂
Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy it because I happen to love it and so does Hubba Bubba. I also hope that wherever you live, you’re enjoying more appropriate chili weather than I am. It’s supposed to be 92 here today. On November 3rd. (WTF?)
So I’ll have my chili the same way I listen to Christmas carols — with the air conditioner cranked waaaaayyyy up!
A note before you start. This is another spicy dish. So you wimpy types and those cooking for kids, use two 4-oz cans of mild diced chilies, leave out the jalapenos altogether, and you may want to cut back a little on the cayenne pepper.
SPICY WHITE BEAN CHICKEN CHILI
2 (14.5-oz) cans chicken broth + extra (just in case)
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds)
1 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 (4-oz) can mild diced chilies
1 (4-oz) can hot diced jalapenos
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
6 T butter
6 T flour
3 (15-oz) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
2 C shredded monterey jack cheese
Shredded cheddar cheese (for serving)
Sour cream (for serving)
Place chicken breasts in a heavy pot and cover with the chicken broth. (You want the chicken broth to cover the chicken by about an inch. If it doesn’t, add more chicken broth.) Bring to a simmer over high heat, then turn heat to low and simmer partially covered for about 8 minutes or until chicken breasts are cooked through. Remove chicken breasts to a plate and set chicken broth aside. Use two forks to shred the chicken.
In another heavy pot (or the same one wiped out), cook oil and onion over medium heat until onions are soft. Add garlic, chilies, jalapenos, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, and bay leaf and cook over medium-low heat for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, in a heavy saucepan, melt butter over low heat. When it is totally melted, whisk in flour. Cook over low heat for about 5-6 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, until the mixture turns “blond” and has a nutty fragrance. Now you’ve made a roux. 🙂
Stir the roux into the onion mixture. Add shredded chicken, beans, and reserved chicken broth and stir together. Bring to a boil, then promptly turn the heat to low and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken broth to thin, if desired. Stir in monterey jack cheese, about a half cup at a time. (I ended up using only about a cup and a half.)
Serve topped with shredded cheddar cheese and/or sour cream. Also, I like mine over rice and with garlic bread. Oh, whatever. We’re as far from bathing suit season as we can possibly get — I say let’s enjoy it!
xoxo,