Recipe by wise mama Crystal of Owl Heart (Health and wellness, peaceful parenting coaching, maternity photos, and more!)

This chili is typically called White Chili because it has cheese in it, making it a lighter red-orange color, and because of the white beans that are most often used. In today’s version I used aduki beans because I did not have white beans, nor did the health food section of the grocery store closest to my house for this spur of the moment dinner idea.

You will need:

5qt pot

2 jars of Medium Muir Glen Salsa

2 cans of Eden Foods aduki beans, in a BPA-free can!

3/4 of an 8oz package of Organic Valley medium cheddar cheese

1/2 of an 8oz package of Organic Valley pepper jack cheese

Optional:

Chunks of chicken from a roasted chicken

Simply put all of the ingredients in the pot and melt/cook together until the cheese is fully melted and it’s hot and tasty!

Purchasing these items was just under $22 for me, and it made enough to feed a family of three for a few meals.

There is a lot of room for variation and making it less expensive. If you have dried beans in bulk and soak them overnight, or if you use just one cheese (monterey jack instead of the combo of cheddar and pepper jack), you will save money.  You could also make your own salsa. This is the super duper easy version and is still tasty and full of good stuff!