It’s been snowing a lot lately. Or freezing rain. And being cold in general.

These past few weeks I’ve had serious cabin fever. I want sunshine. I want warmth. I want to wear flip-flops and light dresses. I want to go on long walks. I want to eat ice cream without getting cold…

This is a particularly tough winter for New England. And the only way I know how to cope with being stuck inside my small basement apartment for many of these past weekends is with hot stews and freshly baked goods.

And Sci Fi.

Lots of Sci Fi shows.

One Sunday afternoon I was thumbing through my large binder of clipped magazine recipes and spotted this recipe for chicken chili. Chris and I had been lounging all day, and by the end of the afternoon we were hungry, and I hadn’t been simmering anything on the stove. So this was perfect.

It is made up primarily of pantry staples. Plus, I had just cooked up a batch of white beans the week before in the slow cooker, so it was a perfect opportunity to use those up.

20 Minute Chicken Chili

Adapted from Cooking Light
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp canola or olive oil
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut up into bite-sized pieces
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 tsp minced fresh garlic
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp ground red pepper
• 3 cups cannellini beans (or great northern), rinsed and drained
• 1 cup water
• 2 (4 oz) cans chopped green chiles, undrained
• 1 (14 oz) can fat-free, low sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves (optional)
• 1 lime, cut into 8 wedges (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add chicken and sauté 4 minutes or until slightly browned and no longer pink. Add onion and next 5 ingredients; sauté 3 minutes or until the onions are soft and translucent. Add 2 cups beans, water, 1 can of green chiles, and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil.
2. Mash 1 cup beans and 1 can chiles together in a bowl. Add to soup; simmer 5 minutes.
3. Taste and adjust heat to your preference. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with a sprinkle of cilantro and dash of lime if desired.

My Two Cents

I love how fast this chili comes together. I often can’t get enough of long simmery stews and chilis, but you always need to have a quick one on hand, too. And it helps if it tastes good

The mashed beans help to thicken the chili without adding extra fat. I like that trick for soups and stews — simply mash or puree an ingredient you already have in there, and it makes it wonderfully thick and luxurious without any added creams.

If you have a lime on hand, squeeze a little in the chili at the very end. Citrus always adds a nice and fresh finishing touch.

So when winter’s got you down, and while you wait for Springtime, drown yourself in the warm stews and chilis of the season