I did not make White Chili with the intention of it being a Leftover Wednesday meal. It had just been on my mind since watching Ree’s Food Network show over the weekend, on which she made regular chili. I went looking for a recipe yesterday so I could get the necessary ingredients at our big, bi-weekly grocery shopping trip, which is tomorrow. As I read through the ingredients list, I went on a hunt through the house to find out what I did and did not have. Turns out I had it all in the house already and I didn’t even know it! I don’t even know why I bothered looking, that’s how sure I was that I had nothing but I’m so glad I did. I found the block of Monterey Jack cheese in the freezer (had no idea it was there!) and half a bag of Great Northern beans sitting on the pantry shelf in the basement along with a can of diced, green chilies. 3/4 of the remaining cilantro in the fridge was melting (if you buy cilantro regularly, you know what I’m talking about) but there was one handful’s worth completely untouched, so I ripped it off and used it. Sill jalapeños in the fridge from the guacamole-that-never-was Memorial Day weekend and 1 onion and half a head of garlic left. Chicken stock and chicken is always on hand and don’t ask me why I have Masa. Don’t even remember why or when I bought it but I’m glad I did! It was divine intervention that this dish came together this week, I’m tellin’ you! I do have to say, the thawed chicken breasts sitting in the bowl in the picture, above, don’t look right. I can identify a couple of body parts that are not fit for mixed company. Moving along…
The original recipe said it made 8 servings. I halved it and got 5, 1 cup servings, which was plenty to feed the adults in this house. And if you are on Weight Watchers, 1 cup of this stuff = 8 points, with 4oz of cheese in the pot, no extra in your bowl. The 3 of us had 2.5 cups total at dinner and then I froze the rest in a quart-size freezer bag for another night.
Ree’s chili is not as wet as mine and her beans are bigger. The hubs loved the chili but did comment the beans seemed a little underdone because there was some firmness to them. There totally was and I know why. The beans were old. I believe I bought the bag originally when we tried B on the Feingold Diet 4 years ago. So, it will get added to the rotation and I will buy new beans! Let me know if you try this one!
**Update – I don’t use dried beans when I make this chili anymore. I use canned beans that I rinse off in a colander. Makes this an easy, weeknight dinner! :o)