This is a recipe adapted from Giada’s Italian cooking show on food network, that has become a household favorite. I found a repost here on a variation of the recipe: Here

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil ( I find I can do this with less and add if I need to later on)
•  1 large onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 pounds ground chicken (turkey works well or any non-meat type protein)
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin (I use about 1/2 this)
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds (I use about 1/2 this and toast it in the pan first)
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons chili powder (I use about 1/2 this unless you like smokey flavor)
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 (15-ounce cans) cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 bunch (about 1 pound) Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces ( I use 2 bunches)
• 1-1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed (worked with frozen ok – and I used the whole bag large kernels)
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Freshly ground black pepper for seasoning
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Hint: Want to kick this up a notch – stop by the cheese store and ask for a parmesan rind, about 2 inch piece will do – toss it in the soup early on and let it slowly melt. If you try this – don’t salt until you taste – the cheese has a salty flavor – so you want to taste as you go. Remove whats left of the rind before serving.
Directions
In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, cumin, fennel seeds, oregano, and chili powder and cook until you can smell
the cumin and fennel, add the ground chicken (The original  recipe had you adding chicken first then adding seasonings but on the broadcast she did it this way and it makes for a better seasoned dish i think).

Cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Stir the  flour into the chicken mixture. Add the beans, Swiss chard, corn, and chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer, scraping up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

Simmer for 55-60 minutes until the liquid has reduced by about half and the chili has thickened. Add the red pepper flakes and simmer for another 10 minutes. Add pepper flakes earlier in dish if you want more heat. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Ladle the chili into serving bowls. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley*

* I found that I needed something to brighten the dish – so a few minutes before I served it I tossed in sweet grape tomatoes and heated them in it just long enough to get the warm – but still pop when you bite them.  But I bet a side dish of chopped tomatoes on top like a traditional chili garnish would work too as would a sharp chedder cheese