Creamy Chicken Chili

Use great northern beans for this Creamy Chicken Chili as they are a small, mild bean that soaks up the delicious chili flavors. For the fastest version, use canned beans and cook this chili on the stove, or use pressure-cooked dry beans, or start it in the slow cooker in the morning and enjoy a perfect dinner.

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Creamy Chicken Chili

To a large pot, heated to medium, add:

1 tsp oil

1/2 cup onion, finely diced

2 tsp garlic, minced

Sauté for 2 minutes. Add:

1 lb chicken, cut into 1/2” cubes

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Pour in:

4 cups chicken broth

2 (15 oz) cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed

1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies

1 (15 oz) can corn

Simmer for 30-90 minutes. Stir in:

4 oz cream cheese

1/4 cup heavy cream

Serve hot with tortilla chips, garnish with:

• Avocados, diced

• Tomatoes, diced

• Cheese, shredded

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Brenda’s tips:

• Serving size: 4-8 servings

• Substitute: instead of using canned beans, pressure cook 1 1/2 cups dry great northern beans (drained & rinsed)

• This recipe can be prepared in the slow cooker. Simply add all ingredients to a slow cooker, cook on High for 3 hours or Low for 6 hours.

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Window to B’s kitchen . . .

Ham Bone Soup

Anytime you serve a bone-in ham, you should plan to have Ham Bone Soup shortly thereafter. When the ham is carved, simply set aside the bone - it’s even better if there is a bit of ham still stuck to it - and that bone will become the base of this soup. Remember to refrigerate (or freeze) until it’s time to make the soup.

For the most economical soup, start with dry beans.

Ham Bone Soup

Step 1: Pressure dry beans

To the removable pot of a pressure cooker, add:

1 lb dry navy beans (or great northern)

~4 cups water

Put removable pot in pressure cooker and lock lid in place. Select the "Beans" cycle, adjusting time to “25” minutes. Once complete, allow the natural release for at least 5 minutes. Release remaining pressure (carefully).

Step 2: Wrap Bone (optional)

• Optional step. By wrapping the bone in cheesecloth all the flavor can permeate the broth to create an amazing soup, while simultaneously keeping the bones contained and easy to remove before serving.

Spread a 12” square piece of cheesecloth over a dinner plate and in the center, place:

Ham bone

Wrap the cheesecloth over and around the bone, being sure to encase the full bone in cheesecloth. Add another piece of cheesecloth if needed.

Step 3: Slow Cooker

To a slow cooker, add in order:

Ham bone, wrapped

1 cup apple juice

5 cups water

1 lb navy beans (pressure cooked, drained & rinsed)

4 Tbsp brown sugar

2 Tbsp molasses

1/4 cup onion, finely diced

1 tsp garlic, finely minced

1 tsp dry mustard

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

2 tsp salt

~1/2 cup ham, chopped (optional)

Place lid on slow cooker. Cook on High for 3-5 hours or Low for 5-8 hours.

Step 4: Serve

Transfer bone bundle to a plate. Using kitchen shears, cut off the cheesecloth to expose the bone. Pull off any bits of ham and add ham back to the soup. Serve soup hot with fresh crusty bread.

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Brenda’s tips:

• Serving size: 8 servings

• Sub: canned beans for the dry beans if needed

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Window to B’s kitchen . . .

Big Batch Chili

Big Batch Chili

Pre-soak beans. 8-12 hours prior to starting the chili, combine the following in a large bowl:

2 lbs dry pink or black beans, rinsed

2 quarts water

Set aside.

8-12 hours later . . . 

In a large skillet, brown:

1 1/2 lbs ground beef

Skim fat, return to skillet and add:

1 cup onions, finely diced

1 jalapeno, finely diced

1 T garlic powder

Saute until onions are translucent. Set aside.

To the bowl of a large slow cooker, add:

3 (15 oz) cans crushed tomatoes

3 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce

8 T chili powder

5 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chipotle chili powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp cayenne pepper 

1 cup water

1 T salt

2 lbs beans, presoaked, drained & rinsed

Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

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Brenda’s Tips:

• Serving size: 4-6 servings

• Can use diced or whole peeled tomatoes, simply blend before adding.

• Substitute regular chili powder for chipotle chili powder if needed.

• Serve with Brenda’s Sweet Corn Bread

Pressure Cooker Chili

Brenda is a fan of pressure cookers when time is a factor; something about mom life helped her to fully embrace the convenience of cooking things the easy way.

Although, if time is on your side, see the Brenda’s Tips section for how to cook this chili on your stove, or in a crockpot. You can also use dry beans in this recipe (Brenda looooves dry beans and would choose these over canned any day). She explains how to in the Brenda Tips section.

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Pressure Cooker Chili

Blend together:

2 (15 oz) cans diced tomatoes

1/4 cup onion, diced & sautéed

1/4 cup bell peppers, diced & sautéed

1 jalapeno pepper, diced & sautéed 

Pour into bowl of pressure cooker. Add:

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

3 T chili powder

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp brown sugar

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

1/2 cup water

Stir together, then add:

1 lb ground beef, cooked & drained

2 (15 oz) cans beans (black recommended), drained & rinsed

Top with lid, set on "manual" for 40 minutes. Allow natural release of pressure.

Serve hot garnished with:

Sour cream

Diced tomatoes & avocados

And don't forget the fresh cornbread.

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Brenda’s tips:

• Serving size: 4-6 servings

• Brenda will make this in the pressure cooker if time is limited, but when she has all day she simply follows the same procedure but using a large pot and simmers for 4-6 hours.

• Or slow-cooker for 8-10 hours on low.

• Okay for beef to be frozen when added to pressure cooker.

• Substitute regular chili powder for chipotle chili powder if needed.

• Brenda prefers to cook the ground beef ahead of time in order to drain the fat. Generally she'll prepare a few pounds and flash freeze loosely for convenience.

• Brenda generally uses dry beans, pressuring: 1 1/2 cups dry pink or black beans, rinsed and 3 cups water. "Bean" setting for 25 minutes. Drain and replace canned beans in recipe above.

• Serve with Brenda’s Sweet Corn Bread