The Best Creamy & Easy White Chicken Chili
A classic recipe for a hearty and flavorful White Chicken Chili. The dish starts with a flavor base of sautéed onion, jalapeño, and garlic, seasoned with ancho chile powder, coriander, and cumin. Whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts are gently poached in the seasoned chicken stock until cooked through. To create a creamy texture without heavy cream, about half of the white beans and broth are blended until smooth and then returned to the pot. The poached chicken is shredded and added back to the chili along with mild green chiles before a final simmer.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 small jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- Two 15-ounce cans white beans
- Two 4-ounce cans mild chopped green chiles
- Serving Suggestions:
- Chopped cilantro
- Sliced scallions
- Chili-lime corn nuts
- Tortilla chips
- Sour cream
- Sliced radishes
- Pickled jalapenos
- Avocado
- Grated Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
- Chopped bacon
- Shredded cabbage
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil in a medium pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic, jalapeno, onion, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Cook for about 6 minutes, until softened.
- Add the ancho chile powder, coriander, and cumin and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the chicken stock, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a brisk simmer.
- Add the whole chicken breasts and let them simmer in the broth for 15 to 20 minutes, until just cooked through. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, add the white beans (with their liquid) to the pot with the broth and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Carefully transfer about half of the bean and broth mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Return the blended liquid to the pot.
- Add the green chiles to the pot and simmer for 5 to 10 more minutes to blend the flavors.
- While the chili simmers, shred the cooked chicken with two forks.
- Add the shredded chicken back to the chili and season with more salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve the chili with an assortment of desired toppings.
Notes
- This recipe creates a creamy texture by pureeing half of the beans and broth, which is a healthier alternative to using heavy cream or cheese in the base.
- Poaching the chicken breasts whole in the flavorful broth keeps them moist and tender.
- The spice level can be adjusted by leaving some seeds in the jalapeno or by adding more ancho chile powder.
Find it online: https://cookupjoy.com/easy-white-chicken-chili/