Chili Cookoff: Kirstin and Dave
LISA GRENTZ, MS, RDN, CD/LDN, FAND
Next-up in our October chili cookoff, registered dietitian, Kirstin, shares her husband, Dave’s, award winning chili recipe. Yep, that’s right, Dave won an actual blue ribbon for his White Bean Chicken Chili. When asked for the history behind this winning recipe, Dave was rather tight-lipped, simply stating that he took first place during a chili cookoff hosted at his work.
While we may never know the full backstory behind Dave’s winning recipe, it did bring up a debate about best chili accompaniment – Fritos or cornbread? Kirstin is adamant chili should be served with a side of cornbread, preferably spread with honey butter, while Dave finds Fritos to be the ideal accompaniment. While this squabble may never fully be resolved in the Nelson household, another strong contender for best chili accompaniment is baked potato. There is nothing better than ladling a big scoop of piping hot chili right over an open-faced baked potato. Yum!
Dave’s White Bean Chicken Chili
Serves: 6-8
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1.5-pounds chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can chicken broth
1 (18.75-ounce) can tomatillos, drained and chopped, or substitute 1 (16-ounce) jar of salsa verde
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (7-ounce) can diced green chiles
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. ground coriander seed
½ tsp. ground cumin
1 or 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans
1-1 ½ cups corn [2 ears fresh corn kernels OR 1 (15-ounce) can of corn, drained OR ½ - ¾ (12-ounce) package of frozen corn]
Salt to taste
Ground black pepper to taste
1 lime, sliced
Instructions
Heat oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Sauté chicken until almost done, then add onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes or until onion is soft and translucent.
Stir in broth, tomatillos (or salsa verde), tomatoes, chiles, jalapeno, and herbs/spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes (feel free to add a little more water if you like a thinner chili).
Add beans and corn; simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with your favorite chili toppings: lime wedges, chopped cilantro, shredded cheese, avocado, sour cream, and Frito chips.