WHITE BEAN CHICKEN CHILI

White bean chicken chili simmered in a crockpot with whole roasted jalapenos, tender beans, corn, and lean chicken breast. The recipe also includes an easy stove top method for a quicker cook time.

White bean chicken chili is one of my favorite comfort foods. A big protein-packed bowl is one easy way to satisfy my hunger. I let my Crockpot do all the work by simmering the ingredients, so I don’t have to hang out in the kitchen all day.

This recipe is perfect for those lazy days so you can just scoop and devour, or pack it up for a gathering with friends and family. Once you’ve tasted this chili, I promise you’ll be coming back for seconds! If you need a quicker cook time, I provided a stove top option that you can have this delicious meal ready in just minutes.

HOW TO MAKE WHITE BEAN CHICKEN CHILI IN A SLOW COOKER

Making chili in the slow cooker is an ideal method because it gives all of the recipe ingredients time to meld together. Here are some tips to maximize the flavor potential of this white bean chicken chili.

• Roasted Chilies: The key to the spiciness and intense flavor is roasting the jalapeños until nice and blistered, and then peeling and de-seeding them before adding them to the Crockpot. The high temperature brings a subtle smokiness to the chili and new flavor compounds from Maillard Browning. If you are a spicy daredevil, leave in the seeds for added heat. Additional canned roasted chilies are added for extra chili flavor.
• Microwave: Pre-cooking the onion, garlic, and cumin together with oil in the microwave quickly softens the vegetable in minutes. It helps bloom and releases the dry earthy notes from the cumin for a stronger flavor.
• White Beans: Great Northern beans or Cannellini beans work nicely. I buy canned beans because they are super affordable, are already pre-cooked, and you don’t have to spend two days making them from scratch.
• Add Creaminess: To create some texture in the soup, add beans, roasted chilis and chicken stock or broth to a blender to create a puree. Only a small amount of each ingredient is mixed, so you still have chunks of bean, corn, cooked chicken and chilis in each spoonful.

WHITE BEAN CHICKEN CHILI

INGREDIENTS

• 3 jalapeño peppers
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 1/2 cups yellow onion 1/4-inch dice
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 1/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup roasted green chilies canned, divided
• 2 1/2 cups white beans (2-15 oz canned)
• 1 cup unsalted chicken stock divided
• 1 1/2 cups corn (15 ounces canned)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt more as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Line a small baking sheet with foil. Turn on broil setting on the oven. Evenly space out the three jalapeños on the sheet tray. Place sheet tray on the highest rack in the oven. Roast the jalapeños until the skins brown and blister, turning over as needed to get all the sides roasted, about 15 minutes. Place the roasted chili’s in a small bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow the chilies to come to room temperature; the trapped heat will make the skins easier to peel. Once cooled, remove the skin and stems. If you like a very spicy chili, leave the seeds, for a more mild chili remove the seeds and discard. Set the jalapeños aside.
2. In a large microwave safe bowl add olive oil, diced onions, minced garlic, and cumin. Stir to combine. Microwave for 3 minutes, stir and cook another 2 minutes until onions are tender. Add to slow cooker. Add chicken breasts, ½ cup of the roasted chilies, corn, 1 cup of the white beans, ½ cup chicken stock to the slow cooker.
3. In a blender, puree ½ cup roasted green chilies, roasted jalapeños, 1 cup beans, and ½ cup chicken stock until smooth, 45 seconds. Add to slower cooker. Add salt and pepper to slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours, low for 6 hours.
4. Remove chicken and shred or cut into cubes. Add back to slow cooker and stir to combine. Taste chili and season with more salt and pepper as needed. Serve chili with toppings as desired.

RECIPE NOTES

Suggested Toppings: Avocado, Jalapenos, sour cream, green onions, cilantro, and radish.

Stove Top Directions:

1. Follow step 1 above.
2. Heat large pan over medium heat. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with a thin coating of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cook chicken breasts on each side, about 6-8 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Allow to cool completely, and then cut into ½ inch cubes.
3. In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions, and cook until softened, often stirring, about 8 minutes. Add ½ cup of the roasted chilies and the corn to the pot and stir. Add 1 cup of the white beans, ½ cup chicken stock, and 1 tablespoon cumin, stir to combine. Reduce heat to low.
4. Puree until smooth ½ cup roasted chilies, jalapeños, 1 cup beans, and ½ cup chicken stock then add to the pot. Season chili with 1 ¼ teaspoon of salt and black pepper. Add chicken, cook until warm and serve.

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