I have made about 15 different chili recipes in the last few months and I’ve tweaked this one enough to make it not only blog worthy– but restaurant worthy! I love this recipe because it comes together very quickly in about 45 mins. Instead of adding any extra flours or cornstarch as a thickener I mash one of the cans of beans and add it to the soup, which adds some nice extra protein and works like a charm. (And also keeps this chili gluten-free!) If you have some extra time on your hands try roasting your poblano peppers before adding them to the chili!
Now let’s make some white chicken chili!
Veggies: A simple blend of onion, poblano peppers of course and garlic. If you would like to make the soup even spicier, you are welcome to add in a diced jalapeño or serrano pepper to the veggie sauté as well. Try roasting your peppers before chopping them for a deeper flavor profile. Fresh grilled corn would be great too.
Chicken stock: Because the ingredient list here is so short I recommend investing in a good quality brand of chicken stock for this chili! I love this brand of bone broth to add to my chili and make it more nutrient rich! Also a good amount of added protein here from the collagen peptides in the powdered broth! If I don’t have this I like Simple Truth or Swanson brand!
Seasonings: Ground cumin and chili powder is keeping it simple but if you get good quality spices this is really all you need. I usually buy all of my spices from here! Sometimes I add ground coriander and dried Mexican oregano.
Beans: I used Great Northern white beans for my chili and I would not recommend any other type of bean. These do a good job of helping thicken the soup when you mash them.
Chicken: When I need shredded chicken for a recipe I always bake it covered in a pyrex dish with seasoning and olive oil at 375 F and cook for about 35-40 mins. I let the chicken rest until it’s cool enough to shred then I’ll add it to my dish. Rotisserie or diced chicken would work well too!
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion peeled and diced
2 large poblano peppers cored and diced
4 cloves garlic minced
8 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
3 (15-ounce) cans white or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup of heavy cream
Maldon sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
toppings: chopped fresh cilantro, diced avocado, chopped green onions, fresh lime wedges, shredded Monterey jack cheese, crumbled queso fresco, sliced fresh jalapeños, sour cream, tortilla chips
Sauté the veggies. Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and poblano peppers and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and sauté for 1-2 more minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant.
Add the next round of ingredients. Add the chicken stock, ground cumin, chili powder and stir to combine.
Mash the beans. While the soup is heating, rinse the beans and mash 1 can of them in a bowl set aside.
Add the remaining ingredients. Add the mashed beans, chicken, and the remaining 2 cans of beans to the soup and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain the simmer and cook for 15-30 more minute stirring every few minutes so it doesn’t burn or overcook.
Season. Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Serve. Serve warm, garnished with lots and lots of your favorite toppings.