Broth and White Bean and Chicken Chili

Right now I'm big into soups. More specifically, I'm big into broth and soup is a great way to consume large amounts of broth.

Why? Because homemade bone broths are amazing. Many many many health benefits, I've read. I'm no health expert, but I'm definitely drinking the juice (broth?). I totally dig it. Get this: felt a serious cold coming on the other day, then I made broth. Ask me how I feel right now. (I feel good!) Warmth + liquid + minerals + gelatin + lots of other things = good things.

Anyway. Dinner.

Saturday night I threw a chicken straight into the stock pot, and then one in the oven to roast for dinner. I let that first one simmer away for about an hour then carved it and saved the meat and then threw it back into the stock pot along with the carcass from the chicken I roasted for dinner (and, if you're interested, I also cubed two onions, threw in some carrots, some celery, a couple of halved apples, a couple of bay leaves, and - very important! - apple cider vinegar (it helps leech all the minerals from the bones into the stock). My freezer is stocked.) So tonight I made this white chicken chili with that saved meat and lots of broth (I added extra. and some tomatoes because I luv tomatoes). Hello, yum. It hit all the spots.

The recipe: White Bean and Chicken Chili
Found the loveliness HERE (thank you, Mr. Leite!).
Pretty darn delicious. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 pound bacon
• 6 ounces pearl onions, peeled, or 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 cup peeled, shredded carrots (optional)
• 1/2 cup diced celery (optional)
• 1 Anaheim, poblano, or jalapeño chile pepper, seeded and finely diced, or more to taste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 4 cups (32 ounces) homemade chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 2 15-ounce cans white beans (any kind), drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, or more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

• 1. Fry the bacon in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat, turning once or twice, until browned and crisp. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve 3 tablespoons drippings in the pot. When the bacon has cooled enough to handle, crumble it into pretty small pieces.
• 2. Heat the reserved bacon drippings over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery, if using, and chile pepper and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
• 3. Add the crumbled bacon, stock or broth, chicken, beans, cilantro, cumin, salt, and pepper to the pot and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes before serving.