Because we live in a college town, the football season brings a constant flow of family, friends, tailgates and more food than you can imagine. And it’s not just the Saturdays down South that we enjoy. It’s the entire weekend of hosting our loved ones.
When football weekends roll around, I would much rather spend time enjoying guests who are coming in for the games than over a stove getting dinner ready. White Chicken Chili is my go-to meal to serve a crowd, and a chili bar is always a hit where guests can choose their toppings. Add a fresh salad, some soft bread or rolls and Peach Sweet Tea and you have a great meal to enjoy.
A fun spin on dessert is to serve football cookies with mad faces, sad faces, and happy faces. You can have fun anticipating the outcome of the upcoming game.
Take the time to set your table and bring all the food out to serve it family style. This way you can enjoy your company instead of running back and forth to the kitchen. Each place setting can be simple, but elegant, by layering dinner plates with monogrammed napkins and topping it with a beautiful bowl for your chili.
While there is no comparison to a beautiful arrangement of flowers that your florist creates, when you are in a pinch and want something pretty for your table, supermarket flowers can work too. I like to use a blend of greenery and one hydrangea cutting. I just love what fresh flowers do for a table.
I hope you get some fun and easy ideas for your next football gathering! Remember to enjoy your friends, share a good meal, put your game day gear on and cheer on your favorite team!
White Chicken Chili
Recipe originally submitted to Alabama Living Magazine.
- Serves: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 rotisserie chicken, torn into bite size pieces
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 packet McCormick white chili seasoning
- 32 oz low-salt, low-fat chicken broth
- 4 tsps chicken bouillon
- 1 can Campbell’s Heart Healthy Cream of Chicken Soup
- 1 can mild Rotel, drained
- 4 cans white northern beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 rotisserie chicken, torn into bite size pieces
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 packet McCormick white chili seasoning
- 32 oz low-salt, low-fat chicken broth
- 4 tsps chicken bouillon
- 1 can Campbell’s Heart Healthy Cream of Chicken Soup
- 1 can mild Rotel, drained
- 4 cans white northern beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp. butter
Instructions
Melt butter in large pot on medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add chicken broth, chicken bouillon and cream of chicken soup. Stir occasionally until dissolved. Add white chili seasoning and stir until dissolved. Add chicken, beans, and Rotel. Stir to incorporate ingredients. Bring to a boil and then turn heat down and simmer for 20 minutes.
Serve with toppings including cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheese, pico de gallo, bacon, and tortilla strips.
