From the menu of … The Vortex Bar & Grill, 878 Peachtree Street, Atlanta. 404-875-1667; http://www.thevortexbarandgrill.com/
Q: I had the most amazing White Chicken Chili at the Vortex Bar & Grill. It was probably one of the best meals I have ever had at a restaurant in Atlanta. Some members of my family don't eat red meat, and we have never found a chili recipe that we can agree on for cold winter nights. This chili is it! Is there any way you can try to get the recipe for us? Please and thank you! Devi Knapp, Atlanta
A: Patrick Healy, kitchen manager for the midtown Vortex and creator of this chili, sent us a recipe, scaled down from the 10-quart batch they make at the restaurant. Healy originally created the recipe for a "soup of the day" special. "I would run it a couple of times a month and after a while, people began to ask for it," he said. When it was time to revise the menu last year, the chili became a regular feature.
The cornstarch thickener helps make this one of the quickest chilis you can put together if you already have the cooked chicken on hand. Poach a chicken breast or use a rotisserie chicken if you prefer. This recipe is pretty spicy, but if you’d like it hotter, add more chipotle.
Is there a recipe from a metro Atlanta restaurant you’d like to make at home? Tell us and we’ll try to get it. We’ll also test it and adapt it for the home kitchen. Because of volume, we can’t answer all inquiries. Send your request, your address and phone number to fromthemenu@gmail.com and put “From the menu of” and the name of restaurant in the subject line.
The Vortex Bar and Grill’s White Chicken Chili
Hands on: 10 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Makes: 7 cups
4 cups chicken stock
1 (15.75-ounce can) corn with green and red peppers, drained
1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 pound cooked, shredded chicken
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, loosely packed
1 chipotle pepper, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cornstarch
In a large saucepan, combine chicken stock, corn, garbanzo beans, black beans, chicken, onion, cilantro, chipotle pepper, cumin and garlic. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring every 2 or 3 minutes.
In a measuring cup, combine water and cornstarch. When chili is boiling, stir water and cornstarch to recombine and pour into chili, stirring constantly. Mixture will thicken within 1 minute. Reduce heat so chili simmers and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and serve immediately or cool and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Per 1/2-cup serving: 119 calories (percent of calories from fat, 9), 10 grams protein, 21 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 1 gram fat (trace saturated fat), 5 milligrams cholesterol, 123 milligrams sodium.
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