pat's Recipe

Southwestern Chicken Chili

Category: Chilis

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 onion, chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, thickly sliced
4 large cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces green chili peppers, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes (optional)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini, navy, or Great Northern beans, drained
1 teaspoon fresh cilantro, chopped
2 ounces part-skim Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Instructions
Warm the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chicken and saute for 5 minutes, or until the pieces are browned. Remove the chicken and set aside. Add the onions to the pot and saute for several minutes.

Stir in the mushrooms and garlic; cook for several minutes more. Add the chili peppers, cumin, oregano, red-pepper flakes (if using) and broth.

Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken, beans and cilantro; stir gently to mix well.

Simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Taste to adjust the seasonings, adding more red-pepper flakes, if desired. Sprinkle with the Monterey Jack before serving.
Serves 4