Del-easy White Chili

This is a recipe I got from my sister and it is sooo del-easy. Zach loves it and requests it for almost every important football game. I serve it with my favorite cornbread recipe and there are almost never leftovers. It's great saturday food because you can throw it together in the morning and by dinner time the flavors have married so nicely it's just the perfect cap to a nice family day.

Ingredients

-3 tbs olive oil or vegetable oil
-four boneless skinless chicken thighs, cubed
-2 medium yellow onions, diced
-3-4 cloves garlic, minced
-2 green bell peppers, diced
-1 quart chicken broth, plus water to cover, if necessary
-3 cans great northern beans, including juices
-1 tbs cumin powder
-1 ½ tsp chili powder
-1/2 tsp garlic powder
-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
-salt and pepper to taste, I use about a teaspoon of salt and a half a teaspoon of pepper
-1 8 oz block of cream cheese, softened OR ½ cup heavy whipping cream
-1 handful cilantro, washed and chopped (optional)

In a soup pot, heat up the oil. Add the chicken, salt and pepper and give one good stir, then another good stir in about three minutes. Add in the onions, garlic, and bell peppers. Stir to coat, then add the cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and cayenne. Saute for a bit until the onions are starting to become translucent. Finally, dump in each can of beans, mix the ingredients together, and then pour in the chicken broth. If the broth fills the pot to about a ½ inch above the solid ingredients, you’re good to go. If it doesn’t, just fill in the rest with water.

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer till everything is heated through and the room is fragrant. I like to simmer for quite a while, if I have the time, but it isn’t necessary. About a ½ hour before you want to serve it, place the block of cream cheese in the pot and let it melt a bit before stirring it through. This step is something I have a problem with, actually. My sister’s recipe calls for the cream cheese, which is absolutely delicious but leaves lumps. I think that adding ½ a cup of heavy whipping cream gives the chili that creamy consistency without the lumps. You can decide for yourself. I like topping the bowl of chili with chopped cilantro.

Buon appetito!