White Chicken Chili

Day 47

By request, tonight's recipe is a healthier, but hearty chili for my Sunday night football festivities. If you've never cooked with tomatillos, don't be afraid. These little green tomato relatives are staples in Mexican cuisines and can be found in the produce section probably near the avocados. They will have a paper-like husk around them, but keep that on while you're broiling them. You can use canned if you can't find them, but fresh is always better. Plus, you can say you've used tomatillos before. And who doesn't want another reason to brag? This recipe works well if you're entertaining a large group. You can also freeze your leftovers for those nights when you need a quick last-minute supper. Squeeze a little lime juice and top with fresh cilantro. Delicious.

Recipe: Serves 4

1 pound fresh tomatillos or 1 24 oz. can tomatilloes, drained

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

3/4 lb. skinless boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

salt and pepper to taste

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves minced garlic

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

2 celery stalk, diced

1 15-oz. can low-sodium canellini beans, drained

3 cups low-sodium chicken stock

1/2 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt

fresh cilantro and lime wedges for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Broil tomatilloes until they collapse and skins are charred, 10 minutes.

3. Remove from oven, cool, drain and chop.

4. While tomatilloes are broiling, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.

5. Cook chicken, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, 5-6 minutes.

6. Remove from heat and reserve.

7. Add remaining oil and cook onion soft and translucent, 8 minutes.

8. Add garlic and cook an additional minute.

9. Add cumin, coriander and white pepper, salt and pepper, and cook for one minute until spices are toasted and fragrant.

10. Add celery, tomatilloes, white beans, cooked chicken and chicken stock and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

11. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream.

12. Divide among 4 bowls and garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.

Recipe adapted from www.epicurious.com