White Chili with Tomatillos

Cooler weather has me thinking about heartier meals. This recipe is in the St Paul Farmers Market Produce Cookbook (1999) – one of my favorite produce cookbooks. It was a lucky find at a garage sale.

I usually use a little less chicken than listed here and also cook it in a separate pan to speed up the process.  I am not sure what kind of chili they had in mind. I use 1 – 2 jalapenos, depending on size.

White Chili with Tomatillos
Serves 6

2 whole chicken breasts, skinned
2 tbl oil
3 shallots or 1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c fresh green chilies, diced (or to taste)
1 can (14 1/2 oz) chicken broth (or homemade)
1 lb tomatillos, husks removed, chopped
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbl fresh cilantro, chopped or 1/2 tsp dried coriander
1 tbl fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp dried oregano
juice of 1 lime
2 cans (15 oz) white beans, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper to taste

• Dice the chicken. Saute in a pan in oil over medium heat until cooked through.

• In a separate sauce pan, cook shallots or onion, garlic and chilies until slightly browned. Add broth, tomatillos and herbs/spices; bring to a boil then simmer until tomatillos are soft, approx. 25 min

• Add lime juice, chicken and beans; heat thoroughly

• Add salt and pepper to taste

Serve with optional condiments such as chopped red onion, grated cheddar cheese, chopped avocado or sour cream.