Beige food sometimes gets a bad rap. It’s boring, bland, bad for you. This beige aka white chicken chili is an exception. What the dish lacks in looks, it makes up for in flavor.
To be honest, I was a little disappointed upon seeing the finished product. Despite closely following the recipe, my rendition literally paled in comparison to the photo. But with a name like white chicken chili, I should have known.
Appearances aside, the one-pot wonder delivers on its promise (of being cozy and quick, among other things). For maximum enjoyment, pile on a variety of toppings!
Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit.
White Chicken Chili
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more, to taste
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more, to taste
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 2 4 oz. cans diced green chiles, drained
- 2 15 oz. cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- corn chips, diced avocado, fresh cilantro, grated Colby-Jack cheese and thinly sliced fresh jalapeño (for topping, optional)
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add next six ingredients (salt through pepper) and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add ground chicken. Cook, stirring and breaking up meat with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
- Add green chiles and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.
- Add beans and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Lightly smash some of the beans with the back of a spoon to release their starch. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has thickened, 10-15 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Divide chili among four bowls and top with corn chips, avocado, cilantro, Colby-Jack cheese and jalapeño, if using.
I’m always on the lookout for healthy recipes, and this one fits the bill. I love that it is healthy but still packed with flavor.