Hearty White Chicken Chili

The weather is still wintry here in the North – stubborn snow piles linger, and more snow is falling as I type this. A few days have been warm enough to provide a hint of spring, but today is not one of them. Everyone is bundled back up in their puffy jackets and boots. A perfect time for a bowl of thick, creamy goodness.

This is a recipe I saved from our local newspaper. It was originally written by Bea Ojakangas, Duluth’s Scandinavian version of Julia Childs. I have modified it over the years to make it wheat- and corn-free, plus I’ve changed some of the spices more to my liking. If you want to make it with wheat, the original flour measurements are included. If you want corn, simply add a can of corn when you add the beans. Instead of cream, I prefer evaporated milk because cream is just too rich for me these days. This makes 4-6 servings.

Bon appetit!

White Chicken Chili (Wheat- and Corn-Free)

½ lb butter
1 T chopped garlic (or ½ tsp dried minced garlic)
2 lbs chopped chicken or 2-10 oz cans of chicken
2 cups white onion, cut in large chunks (one large onion)
¾ cp gluten free all-purpose flour (or ½ cup regular flour)
2 tsp cumin
sprinkle of chili powder
salt to taste (I use 1-1/2 tsp sea salt)
pepper
4 cups chicken broth (I use Imagine organic vegetarian no-chicken broth)
1 pint cream (or 1 can evaporated milk)
2 cups cooked navy beans (1 can beans)

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add garlic and cook until it starts to brown, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken and onion and stir together. Slowly add the flour to absorb the butter. Add the cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and broth. Simmer approximately a half-hour. Add evaporated milk (cream) and beans. Simmer another 15 mins.

Serve topped with sour cream, shredded white cheese and chopped parsley, if desired.