White Chicken Chili

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Sink into a bowl of pure comfort with this White Chicken Chili recipe. It uses up leftover chicken or turkey in a bowl of pure slow-simmered comfort. 

Bring on the sleet and snow. It’s time to bust out the Dutch oven and braisers and get back into making slow-simmered hearty food for the soul. This white chicken chili is a perfect football recipe. It can be made ahead of time and uses leftover chicken or turkey in a smooth and peppery pot of goodness. A relatively simple chili, this one is sure to be a staple in the rotation.

Chili, in general, is one of those recipes that I only crave when the nights are long and we are full into sweater season. A hearty and simple meal, but when done right, filled with layers of flavors. The longer it simmers, and the components mingle over the low heat, the more robust the flavors become. 

White chili isn’t my go to, as I often find it lacking in those layers that make me enjoy a more traditional red chili. But this white chicken chili recipe, with its pureed base for thickening, along with the roasted ancho pepper to add smokiness, can stand up to any championship red chili.

With no dairy in the recipe, and only added as optional toppings, this is a healthier chili. If you choose to omit the go-to toppings, like sour cream and cheese, and the corn and you have a lean mean and healthy recipe.

So, red or white?

If you’ve tried this chili recipe, please rate it below and let me know where you found it in the comments below.
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White Chicken Chili Recipe

This recipe makes the most out of leftover chicken or turkey in a bowl of comforting white chili loaded with hatch and poblano peppers all made in one pot.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 141kcal

Author: Kita Roberts

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 poblanos stemmed, seeded and minced
• 6 oz roasted hatche chilis minced (or canned green chilis)
• 1 onion minced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 quart chicken broth
• 2 16 oz can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
• salt and pepper
• 3 cups leftover chicken or turkey, cooked chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1 lime

Toppings

• sour cream
• cheddar cheese shredded
• avocado sliced
• fresh cilantro chopped

Instructions

Make the Chili

• Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. 
• Saute the onion, poblanos, and roasted hatche chilis for 5 to 7 minutes, until softened.
• Add the garlic, cumin, and coriander, stirring to combine. And cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. 
• Slowly whisk in the broth, deglazing the pot by scraping up the brown bits on the bottom as needed. Bringing to a boil, and then reducing to low.
• Add 1 can of the cannellini beans. 
• Working in batches, transfer half of the mixture to a food processor and pulse until smooth. Alternatively, use an immersion blender and blend until the base has thickened but is still chunky. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
• Add the remaining can of beans and the chicken (or turkey) and frozen corn. Bring the heat back up to medium and allow the ingredients to simmer for an hour. 
• When ready to serve, stir in the juice of one lime. 

Serve

• Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, sliced avocado and fresh cilantro as desired. Make a toppings bar for each person to fancy up their own bowls. And enjoy. 

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Kita

Hey, I’m Kita, the Meat Maven, outdoor junkie, campfire connoisseur, adventure-seeking and world traveled recipe developer and photographer behind GirlCarnivore.com. My mission is to break down savory eats and inspire you to get a little grit under your nails while having fun with your food. READ MORE