Lori's White Chicken Chili

                                                                            
I have to admit I am not a fan of this chili as I do not care for hominy, but Bob loves this soup as it is his favorite chili. I took an existing recipe I'd made from Taste of Home magazine and modified it to the way I wanted to make it. Bob liked it the way the original version was, but he loved the modifications I'd made. It is easy to put together, so don't let the list of ingredients scare you off. And you can have chili made within an hour or less with this recipe. Many people have had this and like it a lot. I hope you enjoy it, too. There are many variations you can make with this recipe to make it your own just by modifying this to fit your family's tastes. I have added one modification below that I sometimes make. This is a very thick and hearty soup. Enjoy!

Lori's White Chicken Chili

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth

1 can (15-1/2 ounces) white hominy, rinsed and drained

1 can (15 ounces) white kidney (cannellini beans), rinsed and drained

1 can (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies

1-4 Tbls. jalapeno peppers, minced (depending on how hot you want it)

1 Tbls. real butter

1 tsp. real sea salt (pink kind)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 tsp. ground chili powder

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon white or black pepper

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup (4 ounces) Co-Jack cheese, grated

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

1/3 cup half-and-half cream or milk

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

1 Tbls. dried parsley

In pot place olive oil , onion, and chicken; cook until chicken is no longer pink. Stir occasionally to get all sides of chicken cooked. Add garlic and cook about two minutes. Add chicken broth, hominy, beans, green chilies, jalapenos, and spices. Bring soup to a boil, then turn down heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add cheese, stir to blend and melt. Stir in sour cream; blend well. Stir in cream or milk. Stir in herbs and serve. You can garnish with a dollop of sour cream and cheese.

Variation: Cut up in small pieces and fry 1/2 pound smoky peppered bacon. With slotted spoon, remove bacon to paper towels to drain. Add onions and chicken to bacon grease in pan and cook as above. Add half the bacon to the soup as it is cooking. Add some chopped scallions to the soup (1-2 onions, chopped) five minutes before it is done. Garnish with dollop of sour cream, cheese, bacon, and scallions. This soup will have a smoky flavor from the bacon.