White Chili

This chili uses chicken but I don't usually bother. Nutritionally it doesn't need it and then you can save the chicken for another night. I also don't bother with the green chilies, instead I use about 1/4 cup of bottled salsa verde, which I always have on hand. Also if you like it spicier use a 4 oz. can of jalapenos.

UPDATE AS OF 10/10/2010 - To make it thicker and more chili like I reduced the chicken broth to 3 cup of liquid and the sour cream to 1/2 a cup and added an extra can of white beans which I pureed first.

White Chili
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon oil
1 can (15-1/2 ounces) white hominy, drained
2 - 3 can (15 ounces) white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
5 c. chicken broth (Or Edward & Sons vegan NOT Chicken bouillon)
2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 - 2 cups cooked shredded chicken (optional)
1 c. sour cream
1/3 c. half-and-half cream

Saute the onion in oil until translucent. Add the hominy, beans, broth, chilies, seasonings, and chicken if using. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Stir together sour cream and a small amount of the half-an-half. Adding in the half-an-half in small increments, and stirring often, to make the sour cream thin and smooth, otherwise the sour cream will stay chunky in the soup. Remove from heat; stir in the sour cream and half-and-half mix.

Food Storage Version
Use bouillon, dehydrated onion, skip the chicken or use canned, for the dairy use powdered milk, dehydrated sour cream, or evaporated milk)


Economical Counter: (6 Servings, 1-1/2 cups each, plus 1 additional cup)
Onion $0.25
Hominy $0.78
Beans (3 cans) $2.34
Salsa Verde $0.22
Garlic (1 clove) $0.06
Salt $0.04
Basil $0.04
Cumin $0.04
Black Pepper $0.04
Chicken broth $0.16
Sour Cream $0.75
Half-an-half $0.30

Total: $5.02 (So close, marking it anyway)

Per serving total $0.84