Chicken Green Chili with White Beans

It is frigid cold and snowing as I write this week's blog and recipe. The Chicken Chili recipe sounds perfect for this kind of weather. I hope you enjoy it.


Chicken Green Chili with White Beans
Yield: 6 servings

1 7 oz can green chiles, (to taste mild, medium or hot, can also use more chiles if you wish)
1 tablespoon peanut oil (can use canola oil* for a healthier alternative)
3 chicken leg quarters, skinned (about 1 3/4 pounds) can use chicken breasts*
**If time is an issue, you can spend a little more money and buy boneless, skinless chicken parts**
1 3/4 cups chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water, divided
1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1 (15.5-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream or non- fat yogurt*
6 lime slices

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove chicken from pan. Add onion and garlic, and sauté 6 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Return chicken to pan. Add broth, 1 1/2 cups water, and cumin; bring to a simmer. Cook 20 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken; cool slightly. Remove chicken from bones; cut meat into bite-sized pieces. Discard bones. Add chicken to pan; stir in chopped chiles and beans.
Combine 1/2 cup water and flour, stirring with a whisk. Stir into chicken mixture. Bring to a simmer; cook 15 minutes. Stir in salt. Spoon about 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 6 bowls; top each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons sour cream. Serve with lime slices. Can serve with a warm flour tortilla (you can find them made without lard) and a side salad.
CALORIES 248 (20% from fat); FAT 5.6g (sat 1.5g,mono 1.9g,poly 1.4g); IRON 3.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 45mg; CALCIUM 87mg; CARBOHYDRATE 25.1g; SODIUM 903mg; PROTEIN 19.1g; FIBER 4.8g
• These numbers will vary slightly if you use any of the asterisked* substitutions

Adapted from Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2004