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White Chicken Chili | ![]() |
Fresh & Seasonal. Hearty & Filling. Weight Watchers Friendly. High Protein.
ON MY MIND: Setting Back the Clocks
The clocks are sorry,
the clocks are very sad.
One stops,
one goes on striking the wrong hours.
In much of the country, we turn back the hands of the clock in late autumn, creating the illusion of a gifted hour.
My first job, I rode the bus to work. Frugality was the reason but I soon treasured the rhythm: workward, reading the morning paper; homeward, reading a book.
But after the fall time change, as the bus lumbered through neighborhoods whose names not residents I knew, I ignored my book and instead peered through thick glass.
On the Mondays and some times the Tuesdays and even the Wednesdays, folks had yet to adjust their evening routines: the drapes, the blinds, the curtains, they all remained open.
So the bright lights of kitchens and front rooms spilled into the dark, illuminating the families cocooned inside the warmth of their homes in living panoramas, mothers at the stove, kids at the table with schoolwork, the flicker of television in another room.
It was indeed a gifted hour, one I repeat, now on foot with the dog, each year.
What Is White Chicken Chili?
If you've only known traditional beef and tomato chili until now, oh, you are indeed in for a treat!
White Chicken Chili is definitely still chili. But the ingredients have been switched around!
- Instead of beef, chicken
- Instead of tomato, green chilies
- Instead of beef broth, a creamy broth
And to my taste, White Chicken Chili is a little lighter. Where most chilis are cold-weather food, White Chicken Chili more easily spans the seasons. Still, it's filling and hearty, so so good.
My Annual Thanksgiving Public Service Announcement:
Make Soup!
And speaking of Thanksgiving, everyone ready? Or should I say, ANYbody ready? : -)
White Chicken Chili fits perfectly with my annual Thanksgiving Public Service Announcement. I recommend adding just one more thing to your already-long to-cook.
But it's not what you might think. Read on!
Who else is cooking a big Thanksgiving Dinner this year? I really love the kitchen hyper-productivity that Thanksgiving requires but at the end of the day on Tuesday and especially Wednesday, the fridge is full of food but it's all for the Big Day, there's nothing to eat now!
1-800-Pizza? Sure! Or, better yet, on the Sunday or Monday before, make a big pot of soup that'll sustain throughout the week. This would be a good one, it makes up quickly, is hearty and filling and can easily pair with biscuits, tortillas, etc. So good!
WHITE CHICKEN CHILI
Time to table: 90 minutes – 2 hours
Makes 9 cups
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 poblano pepper, chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 8 ounces canned chopped mild green chilies
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1-1/2 cups chicken stock (heated in the microwave to move things along)
- 1 pound cooked breast meat from a rotisserie chicken, "pulled"
- 1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed and drained
- 8 ounces frozen corn (or a 14 ounce can of corn, including the liquid)
- 1 tablespoon vinegar (don't skip)
- 2 cups whole milk (or half ‘n’ half for a real indulgence)
- 1/2 cup sour cream (full fat or low fat; no fat free, please) or 1/2 cup cream
- 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco, optional
- Chopped cilantro, for garnish
In a large, heavy pot such as a Dutch oven, melt the butter with the chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Add the water, onion, red pepper, garlic and chilies; cook until the onions and peppers are soft.
Sprinkle the flour over top and stir in, let the mixture cook for 1 minute to cook off the floury taste.
Stir in the hot stock, cooked chicken, beans, corn and vinegar. Cover and bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer for 45 to 90 minutes.
Stir in the milk, sour cream and Tabasco; rewarm but do not allow to boil, otherwise the mixture will curdle.
To serve, ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve and enjoy!












More Hearty Chili Recipes
(hover with a mouse for a description; otherwise click a photo to view the recipe)~ Chillin': Favorite Chili, Chowder & Cornbread Recipes ~
~ more chili recipes ~ from Kitchen Parade
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~ Vegetable Chili with Sweet Potatoes & Chipotle ~
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(helping home cooks save money on groceries)~ chicken recipes ~
~ poblano peppers ~
~ canned & dried beans ~
~ corn recipes ~
~ sour cream recipes ~
~ All Recipes, By Ingredient ~
~ How to Save Money on Groceries ~
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Thanks, Alanna, for a perfect Fall recipe! I started making chicken chili variations a few years ago, and now find meat-based chili just too overpowering.
ReplyDelete11/03/2006
I love this story, Alanna -- I'm a fellow fan of being able to look into homes as I pass by on a cold, early-dark night.
ReplyDeletePlease note: this is different than being a peeper! :-)
Thanks for the recipe, too. This might be a good thing to make this weekend...it's definitely chili weather, and we already had ground beef-based chili last week and this week...time for a change-up.
11/03/2006
I too rode the bus to and from my first job in San Francisco. I always loved rolling down Fulton towards the ocean, the dying sunset in the distance, and the warmly lit vignettes of family life displayed for my fleeting view. I love your writing style.
ReplyDelete11/06/2006
It looks delicious. I thought about making white chili recently! :)
ReplyDelete11/06/06