A Soup for winter (#4)

I just loved this recipe! I know it doesn't look that appetizing in the photo, but it was absolutely delicious and the house smelled wonderful. If someone else had made it, I know Bob would have raved too. But caution was the word from the looks of it... This mildly spiced chili gets its flavor from a tasty combination of white beans, chicken, green chilies, and corn. You can make it in about 30 minutes with leftover chicken or a store-bought rotisserie bird. Enjoy~~

White Chili With Chicken
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion chopped (my new Pampered Chef chopper works great!)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (15 - ounce) cans white kidney or navy beans, drained and rinsed
3 to 4 cups diced cooked chicken
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 (7 ounce) can diced green chilies
2 cups chicken broth, plus more for thinning if desired
1/4 teaspoon salt
Optional (see below): 2 tablespoons butter, softened, 1 1/2 tablespoons flour, pepper, 3 to 4 tablespoons half and half or light cream, grated cheddar or Monterey Jack.

Warm the oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute, stirring often, for 7 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, oregano and garlic and saute for another minute. Stir in the white beans, chicken, corn, green chilies, chicken broth, and salt. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and allow it to continue simmering, partially covered, for 10 minutes. Serves 4.

Note: This time I used 8 small chicken thighs that I had simmered just until done and I added more broth to make it the consistency we liked.

Now for the "Optional": In a small bowl, blend the butter and flour. Add the mixture to the chili and stir until it thickens, about a minute. Add more s & p to taste. If you like, add more broth to thin the chili or 3 to 4 tablespoons of half & half or light cream to thicken it. Serve the chili hot, topped with cheese, if desired.