White Bean Chicken Chili

2 lb dried beans, rinsed
1-2 cups cooked chicken, shred or small dice
½ - 1 T poultry seasoning
½-1 T Janes Krazy Salt
2 t red pepper flakes, optional
2 bay leaves
6 C water and/or chicken stock
4-6 bouillon cubes, optional
2 C milk (or water), optional

Option 1: Place the beans in a large bowl or pot and cover with water by 2 inches. Let soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and set aside.

Option 2: Put the beans covered with water or chicken stock by 2 inches in the crock pot on low or covered pot on the stove set to low for 2-3 hours (add a couple of bay leaves if desired) before starting the rest of the recipe.

Put the seasonings, beans, and liquid in a crock pot on high until you reach a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and starting to thicken, about 2 hours.

Mash about 1/2 of the beans against the side of pot with back of a heavy spoon, stick blender, or blender. (Skip this step or only slightly mash if you want more of a soup consistency.)

Add chicken.

Continue to cook until the beans are tender and creamy, about 2 hours (or as long as you want, I sometimes cook up to 4 hours on low and then leave on warm overnight.)

Add milk or water if a thinner consistency is desired.

Notes:

*I use homemade chicken stock that is flavorful but doesn’t have a lot of salt, so I use more of the Krazy salt than if you used store bought stock, which is typically saltier and less of the poultry seasoning because it is already in my stock. If you are using water, then adding bouillon cubes when you add the rest of the seasonings will give a more chicken-y flavor.

*You can make this with any other type of beans and also with drained and rinsed cans

*This can also be done on a stove top or Instant Pot with modifications.

*As long as you are cooking the chili for at least 2 hours on low or 1 hour on high you can add uncooked chicken cut into very small pieces.

**OR** YOU CAN IGNORE ALL OF THESE INSTRUCTIONS AND JUST THROW EVERYTHING IN THE CROCK POT ON LOW OVERNIGHT AND END UP WITH SOME DELICIOUS SOUP