Winter White Bean Chili

This nutritious, mildly spiced slow-cooked chili—featuring chicken, veggies, mild green chiles, brown rice and white beans—makes a hearty one-bowl-meal that is sure to please.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup chopped carrots
1 pound chicken breasts, shredded, boneless, skinless
2 cups chopped zucchini
1/2 cup brown rice (not instant)
2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock
2 (4-ounce) cans mild green chiles, drained
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 (15.8-ounce) cans BUSH’S® Great Northern Beans, with liquid
1 tablespoon chopped oregano
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Salt and black pepper to taste
Shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese, to taste
Green salsa verde, to taste

Cooking Directions:

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium sauté pan. Add onions, celery, and garlic. Cook until garlic is aromatic, approximately 5 minutes.
2. Place carrots in bottom of slow cooker. Top with chicken, onions, celery and garlic mixture.
3. Add zucchini, rice, chicken stock, chiles, cumin, and beans.
4. Cook in 4-quart slow cooker on high setting for 4 hours or until vegetables and chicken are tender.
5. Add oregano and parsley. Cook for 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve with desired amount of cheese and green salsa verde on top.

Makes 9 servings.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/9 of recipe): Calories: 257 Total Fat: 6.2g Cholesterol: 31mg Sodium: 851mg Total Carbs: 29.8g Dietary Fiber: 7.4g Protein: 19.8g.

Created for BUSH'S® Beans by Connie Guttersen, R.D., Ph.D., nutrition instructor at The Culinary Institute of America, mom and author of The Sonoma Diet.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of www.VegetableWithMore.com, through ECES, Inc., Electronic Color Editorial Services.