Friends, Romans, Countrymen, I have a confession:  I have had blog block. I haven’t felt much like writing as of late.  I blame excitement over travel (I went to Iceland) and I’ve been working too much.  I’ve also had a number of parties, events, etc. and I’ve been busy baking and such. But mostly, I’ve just been lazy. Today’s the perfect day to bust the blog block, right?

When I returned from Iceland, the weather in North Carolina was chilly and rainy and it has mostly continued.  The first thing I wanted was warm and delicious soup.  The answer?  This white chili inspired by a recipe I saw on Cooking Light:

white chili

Here’s what you’ll need:

2 serrano chile
2 jalapeño pepper
1 medium onion, peeled and halved
1 green pepper
4 cups unsalted chicken stock
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons hot sauce
1 chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
2 (15-ounce) cans unsalted cannellini beans, rinsed, drained
5 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 pound pork sausage
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces and cooked
3 cups fresh white corn kernels
1 (15-ounce) can unsalted chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 cup half-and-half
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1/3 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, divided
2 3/8 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 medium ripe peeled avocado
1/3 cup plain green yogurt

1. Preheat broiler to high.

2. Coat first three ingredients with cooking spray and broil for about 15 minutes or until you get a nice char.  Combine peppers, onion, 1/2 cup stock, flour, adobo sauce, chipotle, and 1 can cannellini beans in a blender; process until smooth.

3. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add garlic to pan; sauté 30 seconds. Add cumin, oregano, and coriander to pan; sauté 30 seconds. Add pork; cook 4 minutes, stirring to crumble. Stir in onion mixture and remaining 3 1/2 cups stock. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

4. Add chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes. Stir in remaining can of cannellini beans, corn, and chickpeas; cook 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in half-and-half, 1/2 cup cilantro, and 1/3 cup juice; cook 3 minutes. Stir in 2 1/4 teaspoons salt.

5. Place avocado in a small bowl; mash with the back of a fork. Stir in yogurt, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons juice, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt. Serve chili with remaining 1/4 cup cilantro, avocado cream, and some diced tomatillo.

This recipe is so easy and pretty quick.  Adjust any seasonings and peppers to your taste.  Wrap up in a blanket with a cute white dog and enjoy your day!