White Bean Chicken & Sausage Chili with EVERYTHING… Literally!

INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3-4 large boneless skinless thighs
12 oz. smoked sausage sliced
1 large carrot diced
1 large onion medium dice
2-3 ribs of celery chopped ¼ in.
¼ cup of celery leaves
2 large jalapeno or serrano pepper seeded/diced
1 poblano or green bell pepper
salt
3 cloves garlic minced
½ tbsp ground cayenne pepper or chili flakes for more kick
1 tsbp celery seed
1 tbsp celery salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
½ cup white wine
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth/stock - Get some good stuff
1 bay leaf
2 (15 ounce cans) great northern, or navy beans, drained but not rinsed.
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies (rotel)
1 bunch kale rinsed/de-stemmed chopped 1 in. ribbons
½ cup water
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
Cooked white rice
Sour cream

TOPPING:
1/3 cup minced green onions
1 clove garlic minced
2 tsp crushed/minced red chilies (sambal)
dash of cayenne pepper
dash of paprika
- Add heat with some hot sauce if you’d like - Franks, tabasco or a small squirt of Sriracha 

For The Topping
Simply incorporate/mix all the items together in a bowl. Serve a tablespoon dollop into each soup bowl for a spicy/savory kick of flavor. 

For The Chili
Add the vegetable oil to a large stock pot over medium heat. Brown the chicken thighs on all sides. Reserve the chicken to a plate, add in the sliced sausage, and brown. Add carrots, onion, celery + leaves, jalapeno, and peppers. Add a pinch of salt to the veggies & sweat the vegetables until just translucent - about 7 minutes. Add garlic, cayenne, celery seed, celery salt, thyme, cinnamon and oregano. Toast the spices for about 2-3 minutes making sure NOT to brown the garlic. Add wine and deglaze. Reduce until the wine has evaporated. 

Add in the chicken or vegetable broth/stock. Add the bay leaf and white beans. Turn the heat up to medium-high, add a small pinch of salt. Add the diced tomatoes with green chilies. Bring the soup to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for about 30 minutes. Add the kale & now diced chicken thighs (plus any juices from the chicken) in during the last 15 minutes. During the simmering process, smash (using the potato masher) about 1/3 - ½ of the beans. This will thicken the soup… so 1/3 mashed will be soupier than ½ smashed. Taste for seasoning and add the water to adjust the consistency or reduce.

Serve in a warm bowl over white rice with a dollop of sour cream