Smile Mon!

Caribbean Chicken Chili
from "Dinner Doctor" by Anne Byrn

1 medium sized sweet onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups cubed, cooked chicken
1 teaspoon jerk seasoning
2 cans (15.5oz each) white beans with their liquid
1 chicken-flavored bouillon cube
Dash hot pepper sauce, or more to taste (optional)
1 tablespoon heavy (whipping) cream (optional)
Chopped fresh chives
chopped and whole fresh cilantro leaves, and/or diced mango and red bell pepper for garnish (optional)

1. Cut the onion in half lengthwise, then cut each half crosswise into thin half-moon slices; you'll need 1 cup.
2. Place the olive oil in a 4-quart sauce pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon until soft, 3 min. Add the chicken and jerk seasoning and cook, stirring, until the chicken is coated with the seasoning, 1 minute longer. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the beans with their liquid and the bouillon cube and hot pepper sauce. Fill one of the bean cans with water, add this to the pan, and stir. Place the pan over high heat until the liquid comes to a boil and the bouillon cube dissolves. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let the chili simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Add the cream to the chili, if desired, stir, cover and cook for 2 minutes longer. Ladle the chili into serving bowls and serve garnished with chopped chives, cilantro, and/or diced mango and red bell pepper if desired.

The story behind this recipe: Says our friend Shae, "I have made this a lot, and it's quite yummy & easy too!!" Also, she doesn't use the pepper sauce or cream that are called for in the recipe.