Tex-Mex Chicken Chili

Hello everyone!  Have you all been surviving this polar vortex?  I'm not going to lie... I really don't mind it.  I'm from Cleveland, live in Cleveland and spent almost every vacation from the age of 4 to 21 in Colorado.  I'm built for this weather.  Even in my four year stint in Florida, I desperately missed the change of seasons.  

I wish I would have had a video of me walking the dogs in our backyard yesterday.  We have a slight hill in the back and when I was about to take the dogs up it, little did I know there was a five foot deep snow drift!  I took one step and ended up chest deep in snow.  The dogs were practically buried but loved every minute of it, frolicking around in the deep snow.  So much fun! 

Cold weather like this calls for something to warm the soul and that is exactly what this Tex-Mex Chili does! Matt said he hates the term Tex-Mex, but I couldn't think of a better way to describe this dish.  Tex because it is reminiscent of a chili with tomatoes and chili powder.  Mex because I added typical Mexican components such as cumin, chipotle powder, corn, cilantro and black beans. He also said that this was the best soup I ever made... blushing!         

Tex-Mex Chicken Chili
2 small onions, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 pound ground chicken
2  cans (15 oz) cannellini beans
8 cups low sodium chicken stock
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can diced (15 oz) tomatoes
8 ounces frozen corn
2 poblano peppers, finely diced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon dry coriander
1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder (or cayenne)
1/3 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare vegetables by chopping the onion, carrots, celery and garlic.  Place a large stock pot over medium heat.  Add olive oil then add chopped onion, carrots, celery and garlic.  Cook for 4-6 minutes and sprinkle with a pinch of each salt and pepper.

Add ground chicken and use wooden spoon to break it up.  Keep cooking over medium heat, stirring from time to time.

In a food processor, add both cans of cannellini beans.   Pulse until a paste forms.  To help the mixture move around, add a few ladles of chicken stock.

Add the bean paste to the chicken mixture in pot.  Stir to combine.  Pour chicken stock in the pot and mix until the beans are incorporated into stock.  Add black beans, tomatoes, corn , peppers, chili powder, cumin, oregano, coriander and chipotle powder.  If you don't have chipotle powder, you can substitute with cayenne or 1 teaspoon of hot sauce.

Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.  Taste and the add salt as pepper as needed.  Once ready to serve, add fresh chopped cilantro.  Garnish with avocado slices.