Giada Inspired White Bean Chili
To date, Giada De Laurentiis is still my favorite Food Network chef. Her longest running show Giada at Home, I still watch on repeat. This is dish is inspired by her White Bean and Chicken Chili featured in the “Surf’s Up” episode.
This dish is the reason I own a dutch oven and mine is about 5-7 quarts. If you don’t own a dutch oven or this is not something you would like to invest in, a heavy bottom large saucepan is a good alternative.
EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Minced Garlic (3-5 cloves pending size and your love of garlic)
Finley Chopped Onions (1/2 to whole pending size)
Ground Chicken or Turkey (1-2 lbs)
Red Pepper Flakes (1/4 tsp or so)
McCormiks Steak Seasoning
The original recipe calls for ground chicken but over the years I don’t always find ground chicken easy to find pending the grocery store, so I often use ground turkey. Most likely a 90/10 or 97/3 lean to fat ratio.
Finley Chopped Bell Peppers (1-2 pending size, either red, orange or yellow)
Cannellini Beans (No salt added)
Cannellini beans are a creamy, nutty, and versatile white kidney bean. A plant-based protein, fiber, and iron, offering a light texture that holds its shape well when cooked. If I’m out of cannellini beans or your don’t have access to them, northern white beans or kidney beans are my next choice.
McCormiks Chili Seasoning Pack (1-2 packs pending liquid and taste)
The original recipe calls for a mixture of seasoning including but not limited to cumin, fennel, oregano, chili powder, flower, etc. Since I tend to lean towards the gluten free side of things when possible and I’m not a fan of fennel the first time I made this, I didn’t use the fennel and swapped the flour for Arrowroot. I also used a lot more cumin than suggested to get a more rich chili like flavor. Over time and more likely out of connivance, I started using McCormiks Chili Seasoning Packs while they still offered gluten free options at an affordable price. In the last 3-5 years the gluten free packs are harder to find and sometimes triple the price. Pending your nutritional needs and other variables, the original recipe is included at the end for reference.
Low Sodium Vegetable Broth (32 oz, additional water as needed)
My preferred brand of broth is Pacific Foods and it comes in original, organic, and low sodium options.
Chopped Spinach (1/2 lb, stems optional)
Chopped Swiss Chard (one bunch, no stems, I love rainbow chard)
Arrowroot to Thicken
Arrowroot is a gluten free alternative to flour which I alway have in my kitchen. To learn more about the differences between corn starch and arrowroot, check out the bonus at the end above the pics.
Order of Operations
Over medium heat, add EVOO and onions until onions are translucent. Add garlic and mix in. Add in ground meat of choice, McCormiks Steak seasoning and red pepper flakes and still frequently until meat is cooked through. Add in bell peppers and cannellini beans and stir until bell peppers start to soften. Add in McCormic Chili pack and stir, will start to thicken. Add in the chopped spinach and swiss chard then pour in the vegetable broth until everything is covered. Bring the mixture to a simmer. As you slowly stir you can scraping down the sides and be sure to scape up the bits that cling to the bottom of the pan. If not, things might over cook and get stuck to the bottom.
The original recipe has you turn down the heat, cover and simmer till the liquid had reduced by about 1/2. I find it better to not cover in full but leave a crack for that moisture to have a way out. When covering in full, it doesn’t always reduce as much as I would like and it can end up more like a soup than a thick chili. Pending on all the variables, it should take about 30-50 min.
About ½ way through before it’s fully reduced, check for taste. If the flavor is not as bold as you would expect you have a couple of options. If you wait till the end to add additional spices, they don’t always have the opportunity to cook in and can change the overall taste.
Option 1. You could add salt and pepper (S&P) to taste but I tend to lean towards option 2 below.
Options 2. Either add part to all of an additional McCormics pack or add in a little pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and or cumin pending what flavor you feel is lacking.
Once fully reduced, it’s time to turn off the heat, and dish up. I tend to top with a blend of cheese and serve while it’s hot.
Cheers!
Possible Add Ins: Mushrooms, corn, lintels, split peas, rice, and more.
Possible Toppings: Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, sour cream, chives, etc.
Corn Starch vs Arrowroot
When you google gluten free alternatives to flour when trying to thickening soups, etc. I decided to go with arrowroot over corn starch or tapioca flour. While both are used to thicken, they are not the same.
Corn starch is made from corn while arrowroot is grain free. Arrowroot is considered more neutral in taste and creates a lighter texture. Cornstarch by name can taste "starchy" if not cooked properly. Corn Starch can also break down so if you possibly plan to freeze and thawing the chili, arrowroot is best.
