White Chicken Chili

It's cold out, I'm too tired to put a ton of effort into dinner...Slow cooker time! It's nice to walk into the building and know that the really good smell in the hallway is your dinner, not someone else's.

Nonstick cooking spray
8 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 15-ounce can white kidney beans (cannellini beans) or Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1-1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped green sweet pepper
1/2 of a small fresh jalapeño chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped tomato (optional)
2 tablespoons sliced green onion (optional)
2 tablespoons shredded Monterey Jack cheese (1 ounce) (optional)

1. Lightly coat an unheated medium skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken in hot skillet; drain off fat.

2. In a 1-1/2-quart slow cooker, combine chicken, drained beans, broth, onion, sweet pepper, chile pepper, cumin, oregano, white pepper, and garlic.

3. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2-1/2 to 3 hours. If no heat setting is available, cook for 4 to 5 hours.

4. If desired, sprinkle individual servings with tomato, green onion, and cheese. Makes 2 servings.