White Chicken / Turkey Chili

What to do with leftover turkey

Let's make chili! Or Soup! Or Stew! After all, how many turkey sandwiches can you eat? Now, this chili is not a low cal dish, but it's worth the splurge for this smoky bowl of deliciousness. Besides, aren't diets supposed to start on January first?

 This recipe is a great use for leftover turkey, rotisserie chicken, or any other leftover fowl you have hanging around your fridge.  It's just darn delicious. Lots of fresh vegetables add crunch, peppers add a nice smoky flavor. And cheese, well need I say more?  This recipe makes a big pot of chili. Share with a neighbor or stash some in your freezer for later.

Ingredients:

4 cups Cooked chicken or turkey, Dice. Remove skin, bones, and cartilage.

3 large Carrots, Peeled and diced,

2 Onions , Diced

6 inner stalks Celery, Diced. Include leaves.

6 Pasilla Peppers, Charred, seeded, and peeled

2 Red Bell pepper, Charred, seeded, & peeled

4 Garlic cloves, minced

1 stick Butter

1/4 cup Flour

3 cups Chicken stock (Home made is best)

2 Cups Half & Half

1 Cup Frozen Corn Kernels

4 Cups White Beans ( dry, cooked or canned)

1-2 Chipotle Peppers, Seed and mince

1 Tbls Chili Powder

1 Tbls Cumin

1 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Hot Sauce, To taste

1 Cup Sour Cream, Stir in just prior to serving

1 1/2 Cup Jack Cheese, Stir in prior to serving

2 Tbls Cilantro sprigs, Chopped

Kosher Salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Dice carrots, celery, onions. Set aside.                       

2. Char Pasilla peppers. Place directly on a gas flame until black all over. May also char under a broiler, or on a grill.  Place charred peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam.    Peel, seed and chop when cool enough to handle. The peels will come right off.                   

3. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Saute carrots, celery, and onion until slightly soft. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Stir flour into vegetable mixture until fully incorporated. Mixture will be dry.

5. Pour chicken stock into pot. Scrape up all the brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Add garlic. Stir until smooth.

6. Peel, seed, and chop all peppers. Add to the pot.

7. Add half and half, Chipotle chili(s), and seasonings. If you don't like much spice / heat, add only 1 chipolte pepper and go light on the hot sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings as you go along.

8. Simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes to let flavors blend.

Do not boil. If the chili isn't thick enough, as mine wasn't, make a "buerre mane". Pronounced, "Burr Manyay", french for  "butter and flour mixed into a paste".

Put 2 Tbls soft butter into a dish.

Add 2 Tbls flour. Mix it up with a fork.

Stir until it's a very smooth paste.

Stir it into the chili.

9. Add beans. If using canned beans, drain and rinse prior to adding. If using dry beans, ensure they are  fully cooked prior to adding them to your chili.

10. Add cooked chicken or turkey to heat through.

11. Finish by stirring in  sour cream, cheese, and chopped cilantro. Serve with hot cornbread.