New Year - New Lifestyle

It's almost a new year and for once I'm going into it already well on my way to good health! The week of Thanksgiving, hubby and I decided to take the leap and begin a Ketogenic lifestyle and we've been going strong ever since! Both of us now have more energy, less medical problems and are losing weight on a nice and steady pace.

Now it's time to return to the blog and try to keep track of some of the amazing dishes we are enjoying! 

So far, our favorite dinner has been White Chicken Chili! The flavor is amazing and since it's packed with chicken and cheese the lack of beans isn't even noticed. 

White Chicken Chili
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, ground
2 cups chicken broth
4 tbsp butter, salted
4.5 oz can green chiles, diced
1 jalapeno, finely diced
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
6 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup Pepper Jack cheese, shredded

1) In a Dutch oven (or large pot), season the chicken with cumin, oregano, cayenne and salt and pepper to taste.  Sear both sides of the chicken over medium heat until golden on each side.

2) Add the chicken broth to the pot, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes. Adjust the cooking time depending on the thickness of the chicken to ensure it is fully cooked.

3) While the chicken is cooking, melt the butter in a medium skillet. Add the chiles, diced jalapeno and onion to the skillet and saute until the veggies softened a bit. Add the minced garlic and saute an additional 30 seconds and set aside.

4) Once the chicken is fully cooked, shred with a fork and return back to the pot. Add the sauteed veggies to the pot and simmer for 10 minutes.

5) In a medium bowl, soften the cream cheese in the microwave until you can stir it easily. Add the heavy whipping cream to the cream cheese and stir to combine.

6) Quickly whisk the heavy cream mixture into the pot with the chicken and veggies. Add 1/2 cup of the cheese to the pot and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.

7) Top each serving with the remaining cheese and an avocado slice if you have some on hand!

It's a quick and easy dinner that will fill you up and keep you that way for quite some time! Although only hubby and I are enjoying the Ketogenic lifestyle, this is a crowd pleaser in our family!