White Chicken Chili
This White Chicken Chili recipe is made with shredded chicken thighs, green chiles, and cannellini beans in a creamy broth finished with cream cheese and lime. One pot, 55 minutes, serves 6.
Servings: 6
Calories: 502kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 large onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cans diced green chiles 4 ounces each
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 cups chicken broth low sodium
- 3 cans cannellini beans 15 ounces each, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the 1½ pounds chicken thighs and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until browned. They do not need to be cooked through yet. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the diced onion to the same pot and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until softened. Stir in the 4 cloves minced garlic, the 2 cans green chiles, 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon coriander, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne, and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Pour in the 4 cups chicken broth and return the chicken to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, until the chicken is tender.
- Lift the chicken out, shred it with two forks, and return it to the pot.
- Add the 3 cans cannellini beans and 1 cup corn. For a thicker chili, mash some of the beans against the side of the pot before adding, which releases their starch and thickens the broth naturally. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the 4 ounces cream cheese and ½ cup sour cream until melted and smooth, then stir in the 2 tablespoons lime juice.
- Taste and adjust the salt, then serve topped with the ¼ cup cilantro and whatever else you like.
Notes
- Use thighs. They stay tender through the simmer and shred easily. If you use breasts, check them at 15 minutes instead of 20.
- Rinse the beans. Drain and rinse to get rid of the starchy canning liquid.
- Mash for a thicker chili. Press some of the beans against the side of the pot before adding. The starch thickens the broth without flour.
- Soften the cream cheese. Let it sit out while the chili simmers, or cube it so it melts faster.
- Low heat for the dairy. Turn the heat down before the cream cheese and sour cream go in. A hard boil can make them split.
- Salt at the end. Broth, canned beans, and chiles all bring sodium. Taste before adding more.
- Storage. Airtight in the fridge up to 4 days. Reheat gently with a splash of broth. Freezing is better done before the dairy goes in.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 502kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 1567mg | Potassium: 557mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 550IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 226mg | Iron: 7mg
