White Chicken Chili

A good friend of mine recently sent me Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist. It grabbed my attention from the first paragraph, and by the second, stole my heart. I LOVED this book. (thank you, thank you, thank you Carrie Cowen!) I wish I could wipe out my bank account and send a copy to all of my friends. It's just that good. If you love food. If you love wine. If you fight to maintain strong relationships with friends and family. If you're a little too familiar with the joy and heartbreak of trying to conceive. If you're yearning for an honest voice that will leaving you laughing out loud and wiping away tears, Shauna Niequist is your girl. I love her. And I want to be her friend.

It's not your typical cookbook. No glossy food porn photos or any of those action shots of the author "cooking" in the kitchen. Just a compilation of short stories and treasured recipes. They all sound delicious, but I was particularly drawn to the White Chicken Chili. Only four ingredients? Ready in about 30 minutes? Um, yea. Just one bite and I knew I was adding this to our summer dinner rotation.

White Chicken Chili

Ingredients

1-1.5 lbs chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces (white or dark meat, doesn't matter)
1 (16 oz) container of fresh salsa (you can use jarred, but fresh tastes better)
2 cans white beans (she calls for 4, I like 2)  
4 cups chicken broth

Top with sour cream, shredded cheese, avocado, crushed tortilla chips (I have a current love affair going on with Late Summer brand Hint of Lime. Hey. I'm breastfeeding), whatever you want really.

Directions

1. Heat a dutch oven to medium heat and cook the chicken until almost cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the salsa and beans, including the bean liquid, and broth.

2. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Stir occasionally.

3. Simmer for at least 30 minutes.