White Chili

Total time: 45 minutes
    It's not really white, just not red, like traditional chili. For that matter, it's not really chili either.  It IS delicious, and chock-a-block with vitamins.  The green chiles add heat, as does the Tabasco.

 Ingredients:

• 2 cups dried white beans cooked in water with 4 bay leaves and 4 cloves of garlic
• or 5 cups (45oz, 1350gr) canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 6 - 8 cups chicken stock or bean cooking liquid and chicken base
• 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
• 1  green pepper
• 1  yellow pepper
• 1 1/2 medium onions
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3 ribs celery
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 4oz (120gr) green chiles - or something hotter
• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp oregano
• green Tabasco to taste

 Instructions:

• To cook dried beans:  Put beans in a large pot, cover with water and allow to soak for at least 5 hours.
• Drain and cover with fresh water.  Bring beans to a boil over medium heat and simmer partially covered for 20 minutes. 
• Drain  and cover with fresh water by 2 inches.  Add bay leaves, whole, peeled garlic and 1 1/2 tsp salt.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, partially covered until beans are tender, 60 - 90 minutes.
• Drain, reserving the cooking liquid; discarding bay leaves and garlic.
• The chili:  Cut chicken into small pieces.
• Chop onion, peppers, celery.
• Mince garlic. 
• Open and chop chiles.
• Heat oil in soup pot.  Add chili powder, cumin, and sauté.
• Add onion, celery and peppers; sauté 5 minutes.
• Add garlic, chicken and sauté 5 minutes longer.
• Add oregano and 5 cups chicken stock. 
• Purée 1 cup of beans with 1 cup chicken stock and stir into pot.
• Add remaining beans, cover and simmer 20 minutes.
• Add more chicken stock to suit your taste if desired, then add green chiles and simmer 10 minutes longer.
• Taste; add as much green Tabasco as you like and / or more chili powder, hot sauce.  Serve.

Note:  I used the bean cooking liquid with 2 tbs chicken base added in place of the chicken stock.