Chicken Tortilla Stew

My birthday dinner was at my mom's this year and I decided that chili would be perfect dinner considering the cool/cold nights that October brings in Utah.  I had my mom make her Halloween chili (the one that has filled our bellies on many Halloween nights before trick-or-treating) and I made a white chili or rather a chicken tortilla stew.  Topped with sour cream, Monterey jack cheese, blue corn tortilla chips and cilantro, this one is a keeper and sure to warm you up on a cold October night.  (Noah was positive that it he didn't like it, but after persuading (forcing) him to take a bite, he actually liked it and ate his entire bowl.  That's all I ask...just take a bite).

Chicken Tortilla Stew

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 large onions, chopped

8 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1/2 tablespoon ground cumin

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 jar (16-ounce) good quality roasted tomatillo salsa

2 quarts chicken stock

2 cans white beans, rinsed and drained

1 13.5-ounce bag white corn tortilla chips

1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed, meat removed from bones and chopped

1 bunch of cilantro, chopped

Juice of 2 limes

Sour cream

Monterey Jack cheese

Cilantro

Corn tortilla chips (I like blue)

Place a large pot over medium heat and add vegetable oil.  Add the onions, garlic and jalapeno, and season with coriander, cumin, salt and pepper.  Cook until softened, about 8-10 minutes.

Add the tomatillo salsa, chicken stock and white beans to the pot and bring to a low boil.  While the mixture is coming to a boil, place the tortilla chips (reserving a handful for garnish) in a food processor and pulse to grind, or in a resealable plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin.  You should have about 2 cups of ground chips.  Add the ground chips to the pot and cook for 10 minutes.

When ready to serve, add the chopped chicken to the pot along with 1/2 cup chopped cilantro and lime juice and cook 2-3 more minutes, until the chicken is heated through.  

To serve, ladle the tortilla chicken stew into a bowl and garnish with sour cream, Monterey jack cheese, tortilla chips and cilantro.

Recipe slightly adapted from Rachel Ray