Magic Leftovers!

When is a roast chicken not a roast chicken? When it turns into chili! TA DAH! Okay, not one of my better jokes, but this new dish is a hit for me and Alex. I roasted a chicken last night and wanted to do something different with the leftovers, so of course, I asked my fellow What's Cooking nesties and they all recommend White Chicken Chili.

Now, in order to really appreciate how far I've come in my cooking, you have to know one thing. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I used to hate leftovers. With a passion. I know! Crazy, right? I didn't like when food sat in the fridge and got all congealed and yukky and then you would have to heat it up and eat it all over again. Gag. I just couldn't get over it. Besides, when I lived alone, cooking for one was simple. I poured myself a bowl of Chex and called it a meal.

However, when Alex and I moved in together, I discovered that he liked to eat. A lot. And often. Like more than 3 times a day and he liked big well-rounded meals that included a protein, vegetable and a starch. Suddenly, leftovers were a godsend. I could make pasta for dinner and then send it off with him for lunch the next day! We could save the leftover chicken and make chicken salad! Leftovers became a magical way to stretch our food budget and save my sanity.

Today, I embrace leftovers. Hence, this great new recipe. I also baked a non-dairy corn bread, which is fairly simple. Just use the recipe on the back of the corn meal container, but use soy milk instead of regular (oh, and applesauce instead of oil for us healthier folks).

Ingredients:
1 TBS canola oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 15 oz. cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can navy beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups cooked and diced chicken meat
1 4 oz. can diced green chiles (we used chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, hence the darker, non-white color)
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
kosher salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (optional)
4 sliced green onions (optional)

Instructions:

Heat oil over medium heat in a dutch oven or heavy saucepan. Add onion and garlic. Cook 2-3 minutes. Process one cup chicken broth and 1 can cannellini beans in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add to onion and garlic mixture. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to medium-low. Simmer 20-30 minutes. Top with cheese and onions, if you want, and serve with corn bread.