What's for dinner? White Chicken Chili

This is a new one for us... I told my husband what was for dinner, and he's like, "I've never heard of that." I don't know if I've ever even had it, but, hmmm... chicken, beans, spiciness... what's not to like? I made it in the crockpot because that won't heat up the house too much. It is actually HOT in New England these days! Who woulda thunk it?

When I want to try something new for dinner, I tend to browse a few different recipes on the Internet, get an idea of what the recipe is supposed to consist of, and adapt freely based on what I actually have on hand. So, I give you...

White Chicken Chili

3/4 lb. chicken ($1.13)
1 tbsp olive oil (.10)
2 stalks celery, chopped (.20)
1 medium onion, chopped (.10)
1 tbsp minced garlic (.10)
1 can cream of chicken soup (.50)
2 cups chicken broth (I use water and 2 tsp "Better than Boullion") (.20)
2 cans white beans (I used garbanzo) (.58)
1 small can green chiles (.29)
1 cup corn kernels (free w/ coupon)
1/2 tsp cumin (.05)
1 tsp hot sauce (or to taste)(.01)
pepper & salt to taste (edited to add: you probably won't need any salt!)

1. First, I sauteed the celery, onion and garlic in the olive oil over low heat, until the onions were clear.
2. While that was happening, I cut up the raw chicken and put it in the crockpot. I poured the soup, the broth, and the beans over the chicken. Then, I put the vegetables on top. I put my slow cooker on "high"- most chicken dishes only seem to take about 4 hours on high. However, if you were leaving for the day, I would leave the chicken whole and put the crockpot on "low."
   
3. About an hour before serving time, I added the chiles and the corn. I usually don't season crockpot dishes until right before they're ready to serve because the flavors seem more vibrant that way. I garnished the bowls with a little bit of homemade plain yogurt and shredded cheese. (I have no idea what those red specks are in the picture. I think that's a trick of the light. There's nothing red in this soup!)
   
   
   
   
   

I had apple-corn muffins that I made the other day, so we had those with dinner, along with leftover cauliflower from last night (to continue with the "white" theme) and some leftover salad (ok, that wasn't white.) Total cost: under $5!

The verdict? We really liked it- my husband had 2 large bowls (and I couldn't say anything because he just got his blood test results from the doctor- his cholesterol and triglycerides are perfect. Apparently the cheapskate meal plan is working for him.) I found it to be a little salty because of all the canned ingredients- the beans, the cream of chicken soup, and the chiles. In the future, I'll try to make it with dry beans and white sauce instead... but making it with canned ingredients is definitely quick, easy, tasty and cheap!

Shaw's Bargain Meal week of 6/3-6/9

There's lots of barbecue items on a three day sale (through July 5)- some highlights include 1.49/lb boneless spare ribs and 1.99/lb chicken. Some other goodies include 3.99 whole seedless watermelon, 1.49/lb cherries, and .99 for a package of white mushrooms. Corn on the cob is 10 for 1.99 again this week, and ground beef is 1.59/lb (part of the 3 day sale- with a $1 off 3 lbs or more coupon making it about 1.26/lb )- making hamburgers on the grill and corn practically a no-brainer for this week. But what if you've had enough of barbecue? Put that extra ground beef and those ears of corn to work... try a goulash, chili, or taco soup. (Cajun-style Corn Soup looks good..) Bell peppers at .99/lb, yellow onions at .99 for a 2 lb bag, and Hunt's tomato sauce at 10 for $10 (or Spike's Santa Fe Salsa, also 10 for $10) will work in most of these recipes, too.

No-Brainer Chili

1 lb ground beef (1.26) (I actually usually use turkey)
1 chopped onion (about .20)
1 can beans including liquid (kidney, pinto, or black- I usually find them for about .75 a can)
1 jar salsa (1.00)
1 can diced tomatoes (often on sale for about .50)
1 chopped bell pepper ( about .50)
2 ears corn, kernels cut off (.39)
hot sauce and black pepper to taste (.05)
1 large tortilla ( I got some from a bulk food store for .50/20 frozen tortillas... so about .025)

In a large saucepan, brown 1 lb. ground beef over medium heat- when it is almost completely cooked (still a little pink) drain off the fat. Saute with the onion until the onion is clear. Then dump the beans, salsa, and tomatoes in with the meat, and turn the heat to low. Let it simmer for 10-20 minutes or so (the longer it cooks over low heat, the better it tastes). Then add the peppers and corn and cook for a little while longer. Add hot sauce and pepper until you like the flavor.

I like adding the peppers last so they don't turn into mush, and are still crispy and green. Sometimes I serve chili over brown rice, but I also like to make my own tortilla crisps and use them to dip in the chili. I tear up a big tortilla and bake them at 400 degrees in the toaster for a few minutes. You can top chili with cheese- or sour cream (I use plain yogurt and no one knows the difference.) Total cost: About $4.18.