Smoky White Bean Chicken Chili

I have been making a lot of soups and chilis lately so get ready for lots of good fall recipes!  I love making new things and mixing up classics and this recipe caught my eye immediately.  It sounded so warm and different.  It definitely was!  It was smokey and sweet and had a little bit of a kick.  Don't worry, if you don't like spicy, this one isn't really too spicy, so if you do, you may want to add more green chilis and spices!  

Smoky White Bean Chicken Chili

via Tasty Kitchen (from How Sweet Eats)

4 slices Bacon, Chopped
1 whole Large Onion, Diced
3 cloves Garlic, Chopped
1 whole Rotisserie Chicken, Shredded Or Diced (or 4 chicken breasts like I used)
1 teaspoon Smoky Paprika
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Onion Powder Or Granulated Onion
½ teaspoons Garlic Powder Or Granulated Garlic
½ teaspoons Chipotle Chile Powder, Or To Taste
6 cups Chicken Stock Or Broth
1 can (28-ounce Size) Roasted, Diced Tomatoes
4 cans (14.5 Ounce Size) White Beans, Cannelini Or Great Northern
2 cans (4 Ounce Size) Diced Green Chiles
Salt And Pepper, to taste
½ cups Grated Cotija Cheese, Optional For Topping
¼ cups Chopped Fresh Cilantro, Optional For Topping

In a hot Dutch oven, cook bacon for about 3 minutes.



Add the chicken, smoky paprika, ground cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, and chipotle to the pot and continue to cook for an additional 10 minutes (covered) so that the chicken gets infused with the aromatics and the spices.

Stir in the chicken stock, diced tomatoes, white beans, and green chiles. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a slow boil and cook, uncovered, stirring as needed until the liquid has reduced to your level of preference.

Add cotija cheese and chopped cilantro for topping if desired.

This is great with cornbread or a crusty bread and a salad.

Note: a can of the white beans can be reserved, pureed or well mashed, and then added to chili for thickening at the same time as the other beans are added to the chili.