White Chicken Chili

A few weeks ago my good friend and old roommate Clancey called me. "Sarah, remember that Mexican casserole you use to make?" Silence. "You know the one with the corn bread topping?" Hmmm....."Do you remember it? You made it a lot!" It was gone, completely and totally gone. As she talked about it, I started to have a vague recollection...yeah, it was really yummy wasn't it? Was it like chili? Wasn't the corn bread on top kind of sweet? Do I have the recipe? No, I think I made it up, but let me look around...nope don't have it and I really have no idea how I made it. Sorry....

Before I had kids, I was a very good cook. I would have something in a restaurant and then go home and make it. I could look at a package of chicken and think of ten different ways to prepare it. Those days are gone. I'm in a culinary slump. We eat the same three or four meals over and over and over.... I don't even know what I use to make!

Thankfully, my little family isn't too hard to please. However, I'm the Hospitality Coordinator for our MOPS group. One of my responsibilities is to make sure that new mom's have at least a weeks worth of meals brought to them. This means that I usually drop off a meal myself. I find it stressful! I don't want to bring them a tray of burritos made with Old el Paso taco seasoning or hot dogs and Annie's mac and cheese! Fortunately, I rediscovered this recipe for white chicken chili. It's delicious and really easy to make.

White Chicken Chili

1 lb boneless chicken breast
2 c water
2 chicken or vegetable bullion cubes
1/4 c cilantro
2 15 oz. cans cannelloni beans
2 cans drained sweet corn or 1 16 oz bag frozen
1 tsp cumin
fresh jalapeno pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Boil the chicken in 2 c water and bullion until almost cooked. Remove from water (save water) and cube. Return to the water. Add corn. Add drained and rinsed cannelloni beans. Simmer until chicken is finished cooking. Chop (or stick it in food processor) cilantro and jalapeno pepper (I often leave the jalapeno out or use only a tiny bit to make it kid and new mommy friendly) Add to the pot along with cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for a few minutes.

If you are making it for yourself, it's yummy with tortilla chips, lime wedges, olives, cheese, sour cream and salsa. I don't give it to others with all this stuff, I usually just add a little lime juice to the chili and enclose a bag of cheddar or jack cheese and corn bread.

I never measure when I make this. If it seems too thick, I add a little more water and bullion. I love cilantro, so I usually add a lot more than 1/4 c. I also tend to use more cumin. If you have a Trader Joe's, their frozen white corn is THE BEST in this!

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