Crockpot White Bean Chicken Chili

 

Happy Monday, I can't believe it's the week of Christmas already! We didn't buy any gifts this year since we aren't celebrating until a later date, so my December has been really stress free in that regard. I have been keeping busy with my new full-time position on base as the 180th first sergeant and also studying for the RD exam in my downtime. I still have not yet selected a date to take it, but I think I will be looking in the February-March timeframe. I will be attending a school after the new year, which will not allow me much time to focus on the exam unfortunately. But I am on orders through September, so I'm truly in no rush to complete it & plan on scheduling when I truly feel prepared and ready. After that I plan on searching for jobs in the military as a military dietitian. Exciting stuff! 

I recently have made friends with our crockpot, thank you Covid. I know, I have been behind the curve and I am unsure why I have been so apprehensive about it for so long. My mother would use it to make sloppy joes, but other than that I really never saw it being used. My husband has been a HUGE proponent in crockpot cooking, but I just resisted. However, since Covid started I began expanding my recipes and had more time and energy to devote to using different things in the kitchen to include appliances. I also have been exploring my aversion to soups over the past year and I think, again I'm coming around. If a soup/stew has enough Oomph I can get behind it. So I decided to toy around with a family recipe & subbed Neufchatel cheese for cream cheese and fat-free half 'n half. It turned out wonderful and I wanted to share. 

I personally love cannellini or Great Northern beans and don't often see them in too many recipes. I have used them in dessert recipes before as a base, such as this one - which was a great way to add some nutrient density to a yummy dessert! Hope you all enjoy this one and give it a try, it's super simple & delicious! 

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken breast

1 yellow onion- diced

1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

24 oz low-sodium chicken broth

2 15 oz cans Great Northern Beans- drained & rinsed

2 fresh minced jalapenos (or you can use 2 4 oz cans green chilies) 

1 15 oz can corn, drained & rinsed 

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp cumin

3/4 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp chili powder 

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

handful of fresh cilantro roughly chopped

4 oz Neufchatel cheese

1/4 cup fat-free half 'n half

How to: 

Add chicken, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, chili powder, & cayenne pepper to crockpot. Top with onion, garlic, beans, jalapenos, corn, broth, cilantro and stir.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. 

Remove chicken breast to a large bowl and shred with two forks and return to crockpot. 

Add Neufchatel cheese & half 'n half, stir and cook an additional 15 mins. 

Add to a bowl and sprinkle with fresh cilantro on top, serve, and enjoy!