White Bean Chicken Chili

We're no strangers to chili around here--we love it red, black, and white, or red with a kick. Mmmm... But we've grown dissatisfied with our white chicken chili recipe (too much work, for one thing!). When I got tomatillos last week from the Colvins, I decided to look up chile recipes and see what I could find. Jackpot! This was delicious!! Bonus: I had all the fresh ingredients for it from the Colvins--garlic, onion, tomato, tomatillo.

 I imagine it freezes well since I have yet to meet a chili that didn't. I've heard, too, that tomatillos freeze easily: peel, wash, and throw in the freezer whole! So, you can stock up for this coming winter.

White Bean Chicken Chili
~adapted from allrecipes

• 2 T. vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 3/4 c. water (original calls for chicken broth)
• 1 quart box fresh tomatillos, husks removed, cored, and chopped, or 1 (18.75-oz) can
• several fresh tomatoes, chopped, or 1 (14.5-oz) can diced
• several fresh hot peppers or 1 (7-oz) can diced green chilies
• 1/2 t. dried oregano
• 1/2 t. ground coriander
• 1/4 t. ground cumin
• kernels from 2 ears corn or equivalent frozen
• 1 pound chopped, cooked chicken
• 2 (15-oz) cans white beans, drained
• salt and pepper to taste
• shredded cheddar cheese, optional topping
• sour cream or plain yogurt, optional topping
• salsa, optional topping

1. Saute onion and garlic in hot oil until softened (about 5-10 minutes)
2. Stir in water/broth, tomatillos, tomatoes, chilies, and spices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes if using canned vegetables, 15-20 if using fresh. 
3. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Check for seasoning and serve with or without optional toppings.

~Serves 6-8