March 29, 2024

White Chili

This chili comes together easily! You can use either canned or dry beans. Dry beans will add a couple hours of cooking time, but it’s almost all hands off time and the flavor of the beans is terrific.

Do you likewhite chili? If you are not familiar with it, it’s sort of the calmer, nicer cousin of a Texas chili. No frantically looking for something to put out the flames from a beef and habanero fest. White chili is made with white beans, chicken (sometimes pork), and mild green chiles.

Personally I love the flavors of mild Anaheim or hatch green chiles with chicken, white beans, and Monterey jack cheese. It’s like a stew version of my favorite chicken burrito. Great with tortilla chips and your favorite taco toppings.

If you use canned beans, pick a good brand. I like Bush’s cannelli beans. S&W has decent flavor too. Some of the organic, low salt canned beans brands are some of the most bland tasting beans ever sold. If you use those, you’ll need to add more salt than you would expect.

Like so many stews, this chili is even better the next day when the flavors have had more chance to meld. The chili will last several days in the fridge. Enjoy!

If you are starting with dry beans and want even more flavor, cook them in about 7cups of chicken stock and then when done, use the stock that the beans haven’t absorbed as a base for the chili.

Ingredients
  • 2 -15-ounce cans white beans, drained OR 1/2 pound dry white beans
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1medium onion, chopped, about 1 1/2 cups
  • 1clove garlic, minced, about 1 teaspoon
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspooncayenne pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoonground cloves
  • 2 4-ounce cans chopped green chilies
  • 1 1/2 teaspoonsdried oregano
  • 1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, finely chopped (optional)
  • 2pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (can use breast meat, but thighs will work better), trimmed of excess fat and dicedinto 1/2 to 3/4-inch pieces
  • 3cups chickenstock
  • 1 1/2cups grated Monterey Jack cheese

If cooking dry beans:

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 bay leaf
Method

1 If using dry beans, cook them first: Place the beansin a medium pot and cover with a couple inches of hotwater, about 2 quarts. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 choppedgarlic clove, and one bay leaf. Heat on high to bringto a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to very low to maintain a low simmer.

Cook for 2 to 3 hours or until the beans are cooked through and tender (note that cannelli beans will cook faster than navy beans, and older dry beans will take longer to cook than newer). Drain.

2 Sauté onions, garlic, spices:In a large thick-bottomed pot, sauté onions in olive oil on medium high heat until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, cloves, and cayenne and cook a minute more. Add the green chiles and dried oregano. Add the minced jalapeño or serrano chile if using.

3 Add chicken, chicken stock, bring to simmer: Add the chicken and chicken stock. Increase the heat to high, bring to a simmer, lower the heat to low, cover and maintain the simmer for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

4 Add cooked beans, continue to simmer:Add the drained cooked beans and cook for 15 minutes more. Taste for seasonings and add more salt to taste. Depending on how salty your chicken stock and beans are, you may need to add a teaspoon or more.

5 Serve with toppings and tortillas or chips:Serve topped with grated cheese. Garnish with cilantro, chopped fresh tomato, salsa, chopped scallions, and/or guacamole. Serve with fresh warmed flour tortillas or tortilla chips.

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