White Chicken Chili with Jalapeño Slices

Serves 8 in about 4 hours. Rib celery goes in first, and monterey jack cheese finishes the pot.

Ingredients

• 3 lg chicken breasts skinless/boneless (or 2 lbs thighs)
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 rib celery, diced (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 (4 oz) oz cans green chilis, diced, mild
• 1 ½ cups corn, frozen (or 1 can drained)
• 1 jalapeño pepper, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, finely minced (about 1 heaping tablespoon)
• 2 tsp cumin, ground
• 1 tsp green chili powder (or regular) or use some green salsa or pasilla peppers
• 1 ½ tsp kosher salt (or 1 tsp table salt)
• ½ tsp pepper
• 2 tsp mexican oregano (or 1 1/2 tsp regular)
• 1 large bay leaf
• 3 (15 oz) cans white beans, drained and rinsed, divided
• 1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth*, low sodium
• 1 sm lime, juiced
• 3 small corn tortillas (optional) cut in strips
• 4 oz cream cheese (cut in smallish chunks)
• ½ cup heavy cream or half and half
• Sour cream
• Cilantro
• Avocado
• Shredded monterey jack cheese
• Jalapeño slices

Method

1. Stir in all ingredients to the slow cooker except for 2 cans of the beans, and the cream cheese and heavy cream (if using), and stir.
2. Simmer on High for 3-4 hours or Low for 7-8 hours. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.
3. Lift out the chicken and shred it. Then return to the crock and add cream cheese, if using, and the remaining 2 cans of beans (drained and rinsed). Mix well.
4. Simmer an additional 20-30 minutes on High.
5. Garnish as desired and serve hot.

More slow cooker ideas are in the slow cooker collection.