Pink Chili Anyone?

I started some beans for a semi-big pot of chili...Small Red and Kidney beans.  I threw in some onion and red bell pepper, and was browning some ground chicken, planning to make our regular, red chili, when Prince Go-For-It requested I make it into "White Chicken Chili" instead.  He didn't care about matching the color of the beans.  :-)  The small red bean color faded into the sauce, so we ended up with
                        

"Pink" Chicken Chili

                  
Approx. 4 cups dry red kidney beans (prepared in one of the methods explained below), or 8 cups canned kidney beans (If you don't like pink, try Cannellini or Great Northern white beans)

If using dry, prepare them ahead using one of these methods, any of which work fine for me:             

1) Rinse and sort to make sure there are no small rocks mixed in, then soak in water (enough to cover plus a 2 - 3 inches) overnight, rinse, add enough water to cover beans well, and cook for approx 1 1/2 hours, then start recipe.

2) Rinse and look for rocks, then add the same amount of water as in #1, but bring to a boil for 2 minutes, then let sit for 2 hours, rinse, add enough water until even with top of beans, cook 1 hour, then start recipe.

3) Rinse and look for rocks, then add the same amount of water as in #1, bring to boil, then turn down and cook for 2 hours.  Rinse, then add enough water until even with top of beans, then start recipe.

Add to beans:
2 sweet onions, chopped (raw or sauteed)
2 red or green bell pepper, chopped (raw or sauteed)
                
1 1/2 lbs browned ground chicken (beef or turkey are fine substitutes, or no meat for a vegetarian version)
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp ground cumin or chili powder
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 sprinkle red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
3 - 4 cups chicken stock
                  
Bring to boil, then cook on medium-low heat for about an hour, or until veggies and, especially, beans are cooked through and soft.  Mix in, cook, and stir until melted 
1/2 - 1 lb Pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheese, cubed or shredded
                  
Optional add ins: 
Corn
Sliced olives
                
Serve with sour cream or plain yogurt (can also stir some in right before serving), and tortilla chips, crumbled on top, or offered on the side.

Our favorite uses for leftover chili:

                

Taco Salad 

Serve over tortilla chips, and topped with shredded lettuce, chopped tomato and onion, and shredded cheese.   Hubby likes to throw on chopped or sliced jalapeno. Finish with sour cream or your favorite dressing....I don't usually like Ranch, but it works well with this.

Chili-Cornbread Bake

Spread chili in the bottom of a greased 9" x 13" baking dish and stir up batter for your favorite corn bread or corn pone and pour over the top.  Sprinkle with shredded cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 60 minutes...until a knife inserted off center comes out clean. (Chili on the knife is OK, uncooked batter is not.)  
Serve with sour cream, plus sliced green onion and olives, as desired.

Nachos

Spread chili thinly over a single layer of tortilla chips in a baking pan or dish. Top with shredded cheese, also chopped onions, tomato, and olives, as desired.  Bake in oven at 400 degrees until heated through and cheese is bubbly and browned to your preference.