I clipped this recipe for White Bean and Turkey Chili from a Cooking Light magazine a few years ago, thinking it would be good with shredded chicken. It seemed like it might be a little bland as-is, so I looked over some other white chicken chili recipes and made a few more modifications. In addition to reducing the amount of meat to two cups, I used two cans of Great Northern beans and one can of cannellini beans. I also added a chopped jalapeno to give the chili an extra kick and substituted tomato sauce for chopped tomatoes.

The resulting white bean chicken chili was rich and hearty. It was a perfect meal for a chilly winter night. The flavors developed nicely overnight and the leftovers were just as good, if not better!

White Bean Chicken Chili

Yields about 6 1-cup servings

1 tbsp olive oil
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 cups diced yellow onion
1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
2 15 oz. cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz. can Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
1 8 oz. can plain, no-salt added tomato sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp dried cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1) Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion for 10 minutes, or until onion is tranlucent.
2) Add chili powder, garlic, jalapeno pepper and cumin; saut? for 2 minutes.
3) Add oregano, salt, pepper and beans; cook for about 1 minute.
4) Add broth and tomato sauce. Bring to a simmer for at least 20 minutes.
5) Place 2 cups of bean mixture in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth.
6) Return pureed mixture to pan and add chicken. Cook for five minutes or until thoroughly heated.
7) Remove from heat and add dried cilantro and lime juice.

Since I have concluded my baking marathon, I’ve decided to return my focus to regularly cooking filling, flavorful, wholesome meals.

I found this Black Bean Chili recipe on allrecipes.com a few years ago. My husband was initially skeptical about trying a chili recipe with no meat. His fears were allayed when he found that this chili is hearty and tasty. The combination of beans and other vegetable result in a rich, flavorful chili. Pureeing some of the chili lends thickness to the finished product.

The only modification I have made to the chili recipe is to substitute 28 oz. of canned diced tomatoes for the fresh diced tomatoes. I’m not a fan of the consistency of fresh tomatoes, so I usually substitute some sort of canned tomato product or sauce.

Using some canned or frozen products and employing a food processor to chop the vegetables greatly reduces prep time. It was only recently that my husband and I realized how much time we could save by using our food processor (took awhile, I know). What started off as my husband prepping the ingredients for me, turned into a full-on cooking session. He was pleased at how easily the chili came together. It’s worth noting that this black bean chili does not need to simmer for a long time, making it suitable for weeknight meals.

As with most chilis and soups, this chili tastes even better the next day. It also freezes well.

Colorful, tasty sauteed vegetables

Black Bean Chili Recipe

Yields 6 servings

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
10 fresh mushrooms, quartered
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 cup corn kernels
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
2 15 oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups fat free, reduced sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 tsp salt.

1) Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Saute the onion, red bell peppers, jalapeno, mushrooms and corn for 10 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
2) Season with black pepper, cumin and chili powder.
3) Stir in diced tomatoes, black beans, chicken broth and salt.
4) Bring to a boil and then simmer for 15-20 minutes.
5) Place 1 1/2 cups of chili in food processor and process until smooth. Stir the pureed bean mixture back into the stock pot.