The White Chicken Chili Meal Solution

Yea!!!!!! October is here! My favorite month of the year. Warm days and cool nights. Beautiful colors all around. The perfect time for a great bowl of chili.

The closest supermarket to us is a Bashas'. We are in Arizona USA, and Bashas' has been in Arizona for many years. The Arizona Republic newspaper on Wednesday always contains a Bashas' grocery flyer. I like to get the newspaper on Wednesday for the grocery ads, but also because the Wednesday paper contains a special Food & Drink section. I've found a lot of good stories and recipes in the Food & Drink section.

As usual, I bought the paper today. To my surprise, the recipe that caught my eye is in the Bashas' grocery ad insert, not the Food & Drink section. It's part of a promotion they call "Bashas' Meal Solutions (for a family of 4) Under $10", and this week's promotion is "White Chicken Chili."

Bashas' says, "This a a quick, easy and light chili you will love. Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Yields: 4 servings"

"Items from this weeks' ad:
-- Diced Macayo's jalapeno peppers (1 [4 oz] can 79 cents)
-- Chopped Macayo's green chile peppers (1 [4 oz] can 69 cents)
-- Bashas' boneless, skinless chicken breast (cooked, cut into cubes 3 cups [1 lb] $2.99 per lb.)
-- Food Club chicken broth (2 [14.5 oz] 69 cents each)
-- Food Club great northern beans (2 [15 oz] cans 99 cents each)
-- S&W chili beans (1 [15 oz] can 99 cents)
-- Shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese (1 cup [4 oz] [$1.99, Recipe uses only 1/2 product])
-- 1 Onion, chopped
-- 3 cloves Garlic, crushed

Find these items in your kitchen:
-- McCormick ground cumin, 2 tsp
-- Dried oregano, 1 tsp
-- Vegetable oil, 1 Tbsp
-- Ground red cayenne pepper, 1 tsp

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Slowly cook and stir the onion until tender.
2. Mix in the garlic, jalapeno, green chiles, cumin, oregano and cayenne pepper. Continue to cook and stir the mixture until tender, about 3 minutes.
3. Mix in the chicken broth, chicken and beans. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove the mixture from heat. Optional. Slowly stir in the cheese until melted. Serve warm. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Less than $2.45 per person."

Everyone knows that the U.S. economy is number one in the news these days, and the reality is that there truly are a lot of people out there who need to watch their pennies with high gas prices and all. Bashas' is trying to do their part by keeping food costs down and offering meal solutions that don't cost a lot. I'm just so happy that they decided to start off this great chili season of the year with their version of a great chili at a great per person price. Just goes to show - once again - that chili has been and will continue to be a great tasting, nutritious, economical meal that everyone will love. Chili to the rescue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!