A Favorite Food Memory

Some food memories stay with us--we never forget them. A warm, cozy home, a gracious hostess, good friends, and a delicious meal become more than an ordinary get-together. And so began such a memory for me several years ago when my good friend, Leslie, opened her beautiful new home to me and our friends with a girls' lunch. As soon as I walked into her kitchen, I was captivated by the most incredible, unique scent of warm spices, aromatic herbs and Mexican peppers. Leslie had prepared a white chicken chili that I just knew would taste heavenly before I even took my first bite. I'll never forget, she ladled the beautiful, blonde chili into big, white porcelain bowls with roosters on the sides.

I don't know how many times I've tried to recreate that special lunch since that day, tweaking the original recipe to make it my own. Here's my modified, slightly lighter version of Leslie's white chicken chili.

All I need is some cute rooster bowls and my girls to make it all perfect.

Mexican Chicken Stew

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
3 large cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon allspice
2 (4 ounce) cans diced green chile peppers
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 cans chicken stock
4 cups cooked, shredded chicken
3 cans white or pinto beans, drained
1 1/2 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese

Heat olive oil in a pot over medium-low to medium heat. Add onions, and saute for 5 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, cumin, allspice, green chile peppers, jalapeno, and salt. Saute for about 3 minutes. Add stock, chicken, beans, and cheese. Lower heat, and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Adjust seasoning. Serve with cheese and sour cream, if desired.