It’s a well-known adage that getting ready for the party is more fun than the event itself.  But a little known secret is the marvelous tradition of the après-fete lunch.  Crumpled versions of the glittering visions we were hours before, we stumble into our favorite café, Neiman Marcus Fresh Market, to dissect and discuss the who/what/where/wow of the night’s festivities.

And what do we order?  Chili Blanco, of course.  Despite its mundane name, this is no ordinary chili.  Truth be told, I’d never conceived of anything like it until my girlfriend Maria mentioned the Fresh Market staple as the perfect day-after food.  My friend’s size-zero frame necessitates a rigid regimen of salad-exclusive lunches - challenged only by libation-induced headaches that require something slightly naughtier than a heap of lettuce.  And nothing could be more naughty than this effervescent cheese-chicken duo served with a glass of Perrier-Jouet at the epicenter for ladies who lunch.

                       

As with everything else it peddles, Neimans’ chili is infused with top tier grandeur.  Roast chicken breast replaces ground beef, Sonoma Jack cheese replaces tomato puree, and white beans replace pinto.  The flavors fuse together so elegantly that it is nearly unfathomable that you can make this yourself – which is what I will be doing habitually now that Neimans has heartlessly taken it off the menu…  xx tt  

Recipe – adapted from Neiman Marcus

Ingredients

·  4 tablespoons olive oil

·  Kosher salt + pepper

·  3 chicken breasts – skin-on, bone-in (IF YOU WANT TO SKIP ROASTING YOUR OWN CHICKEN BREASTS, SUBSTITUTE A STORE-BOUGHT ROTISSERIE CHICKEN)

·  3 cans white “northern” beans

·  2 medium yellow onions

·  4 garlic cloves

·  2 cans Diced Mild Green Chilies (7-ounce cans, not 4-ounce)

·  2 freshly diced Jalapeno Peppers (or two 4-ounce cans pre-cut)

·  2 teaspoons ground cumin

·  1 + ½ teaspoon dried oregano

·  ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

·  42-ounces chicken stock

·  24-ounces shredded Jack cheese

·  Avocado + Sour Cream for serving

Instructions 

·  Preheat oven to 350 degrees

·  Chop onions

·  Crumble dried oregano in a small bowl, set aside

·  Mince garlic

·  Place chicken on a baking sheet

·  Rub chicken with two tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with salt + pepper liberally

·  Roast chicken for 30-45 minutes

·  Let cool, then discard the skin and shred chicken

·  Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in large pot over medium heat

·  Add onions and sauté for ten minutes, until translucent

·  Stir in garlic, green chilies, jalapenos, cumin, oregano, and cayenne – sauté two minutes

·  Add beans, stock, and chicken – bring to a boil

·  Reduce heat so that there isn’t a violent boil - but not as low as a simmer, stir occasionally for 45-minutes to an hour

·  Add cheese, stir until completely melted - this usually takes twenty minutes to fully incorporate 

·  Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and an avocado slice

·  Serve with jalapeno-cheddar cornbread