White Chili

I've been making this for a few years. I recently described it to a friend as guiltless comfort food. It is fabulous. And I only made 1 minor change to lower the calories. The original recipe calls for butter, but I used extra virgin olive oil. And to be completely honest, you would never know it was missing. And, you would never know this is a low calorie meal. The pureed beans add a thickness and creaminess without the calories of flour or heavy cream. I promise, if you make this you will love it!

White Chicken Chili

adapted from Southern Living

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
5 cups water
1 large onion, chopped and divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 celery ribs, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
1 cup chicken broth
3 (16-ounce) cans great Northern beans, rinsed, drained, and divided
4 (4.5-ounce) cans chopped green chiles, not drained
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Place chicken, 5 cups water, half of onion, chicken bouillon, salt and pepper in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and cook 15 to 18 minutes or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken, reserving broth in Dutch oven. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces and set aside.
Saute remaining onions, celery and garlic in olive oil until tender.
Process 1 can beans and 1 cup of chicken broth in a blender until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Stir bean pureé, chicken, celery mixture, 2 cans beans, and next 6 ingredients into broth in Dutch oven, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 1 hour, stirring frequently, until thickened.
Remove and discard bay leaf; stir in cilantro just before serving with desired toppings.