Now that’s a plateful and a bowlful of hearty delicious nutritious goodness. This is chili, but a lighter version. Rather than having the traditional ground beef (or ground chicken or turkey as I use in my Well-Fed Vegetable Packed Skinny Chili) this uses the breast meat from a fresh roasted organic chicken, shredded perfectly into the chicken broth and combined with some healthy vitamin and fiber packed white beans. Add in some corn to give it a spring or summer taste and then definitely stir in some fresh spinach for a healthy boost. Jalapenos always optional and for my family, always welcome. A little heat for a light chili on the cusp of a chilly winter day and a rainy spring afternoon. I like to combine that heat with the smooth mild nuttiness of an avocado and it evens everything out, while completing this Well-Fed meal nutritiously!!
Begin with sliced fresh garlic, and fresh sliced red onion. Sautee both up together in a dutch oven pot using olive oil or coconut oil. Add herbs of oregano and cumin to the onions and garlic and allow them to become coated.
While the onions and garlic are softening, cook up some fresh Jersey Sweet corn if it’s in season.
Then add the already cooked chicken from a whole roasted chicken. You want the herbs to coat all these ingredients nicely.
Next once the fresh corn is cooked, slice off the kernels and add to the chicken mixture. Always keep your ingredients as fresh and simple as possible.
To make it a White Bean Chili, we’re using White Kidney Beans, or Cannellini Beans. I have found some in a juice box looking container, in bags as well as in a jar as you see below. I try to stay away from canned foods, but some companies do well with the packaging.
Always check the ingredients. Simple and short.
Just so you know, Cannellini Beans are a nutrition powerhouse! Great plant-based protein, good soluble and insoluble fiber, packed with vitamins and minerals! You can omit the chicken if you want to make this a vegetarian meal and keep the beans as the main theme! White kidney beans are rich in vitamin B1, or thiamin, which is necessary for formation and operation of brain cells. They are also a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber and also prevent blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after eating. The insoluble fibre helps prevent digestive problems like IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and soluble fiber removes toxins from the body by binding to cholesterol containing bile.
You’ll want to take about a cup of the beans or maybe use one jar and keep another jar as is. Smash up the cup of beans to make a mash as you see below. Add in a bit of chicken broth to that mash to help it become smooth, and then add it as well as the whole beans (rinsed and drained) to the chicken mixture.
Below is a quick look at homemade chicken broth being made that I am to use for this soup. It is not as involved as you might think, and it is incredibly healthy! Go to my previous blog and recipe for Homemade Chicken Broth!
Once your chicken broth is ready or if you already had some ready from the freezer, add it to the chicken and bean mixture and let all the ingredients simmer together!
Add a few large fresh leaves of spinach at the final stages before serving and slice up some jalapenos and avocado to add in while enjoying! You are a Nutritiously Well-Fed Goddess!!!! (Or God)
