White Chicken Chili Recipe with Dry Beans

As many know, I am not a fan of a lot of processed foods. Too much sodium and too many preservatives come with the convenience of many cans and boxes. For months, I have sought a white chili recipe with chicken and great northern, or white, beans using dried beans rather than canned soup beans. I did not have much luck--so I created my own white chicken chili recipe with dried Great Northern Beans. (This works well with 3 c. of leftover cooked beans as well!)

Ingredients for White Chicken Chili with Dry Great Northern Beans
1 pound dried great northern beans or navy beans, presoaked and rinsed according to package directions
3 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion chopped
(2) 4 ounce cans diced green chili peppers, or 3/4 c. seeded and diced fresh chili peppers of choice
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 large chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground black pepper
6 c. organic vegetable stock, or a homemade vegetable broth
1 c. water
Optional toppings:  shredded cheddar cheese, sliced jalapeno peppers

Instructions for White Chicken Chili with Dried Great Northern Beans
Prepare the green chili mixture.  Heat butter and olive oil in a non-stick skillet until hot.  Add the onion and green chilies and saute 3-4 minutes or until onion is translucent.  Add the minced garlic and cook 1-2 minutes more. Set aside.

Build the white chicken chili.  Add the soaked and rinsed beans to a large soup pot. Add the green chili and onion mixture, chicken, and spices to the beans.  Pour in 6 cups of vegetable broth or stock along with a cup of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until beans reach desired tenderness.

Ladle into soup bowls.  Top with shredded cheddar cheese, sliced jalapeno peppers and serve with corn bread and a green salad.