Rush Hour

Chili is an American staple. However, most people are familiar with the version featuring lots of tomatoes and boasting a deep red color. This month, I'm offering you a recipe for a white chili that's perfect for letting your crock pot tend to while you are off enjoying the ever-changing weather and beautiful outdoors.

This chili gets its color from pale poultry and white beans. You can tweak the amount of jalapenos to change the spiciness of the dish. You can also switch out the shredded cheese for any number of condiments, including sour cream, chopped green onions, avocado, hot sauce or a different kind of shredded cheese. It reheats beautifully, so even if you are serving a smaller crowd, make the full batch. It's great on its own or on a baked potato. Sometimes, I will even just have it for breakfast, but I am guessing I'm probably the only one!

As always, I encourage you to share your recipe ideas and comments. You can always post comments using the forms provided in the articles or email me directly at . Enjoy!

Crockpot White Chili

  • 1 lb. chicken thighs, cubed
  • 1/4 c. canola oil
  • 1 c. chopped onion
  • 2 T. minced garlic
  • 1 T. ground cumin
  • 1 lb. ground turkey
  • 2/3 c. pearl barley
  • 2 (16 oz.) cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 T. minced canned jalapenos
  • 2 (16 oz.) cans chicken broth
  • 8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and garlic and cook it until tender. Add the cumin and stir. Add the turkey and chicken and cook through. Put the mixture into a crockpot and add the barley, beans, jalapenos and chicken broth. Cook on high for 4 hours. Serve with shredded cheese.

  • Yields: 8-10 servings
  • Preparation Time: 20 minutes plus 4 hours cooking time