Slow-Simmered White Chicken Chili

I was craving a bowl of white chicken chili and instead of my usual go-to recipe, I decided to take my time and try making a slow-simmered white chicken chili recipe from Cook’s Illustrated that I’ve had bookmarked for a long time. I adapted the recipe a bit by using less jalapeno because all of my peppers were on the spicy side and my son isn’t a huge fan of super spicy food. The recipe was fun to make and smelled so amazing while it simmered on the stove. I served the white chicken chili topped with sour cream, avocado, green onion, and cilantro, with tortilla chips and lime wedges on the side. This white chicken chili was full of flavor and tasted wonderful on this cold crisp evening.

How to Make Slow-Simmered White Chicken Chili

Prepare the chicken by heating the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season both sides of the chicken breasts well with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Place the breasts skin-side down in the HOT Dutch oven and cook undisturbed for 4 minutes, until the skin is golden brown. Flip the breasts over and cook the other side for 2 minutes. Remove from the Dutch oven and set aside on a plate to cool a bit. Once the chicken has cooled, remove the skin and discard it.

Prepare the chile peppers and onion while the chicken is cooking, by putting half of the Anaheim, poblano, and onion in a food processor for 12 (1-second) pulses, until consistency of chunky salsa. Transfer mixture to the bowl. Repeat with the remaining Anaheim, poblano, and onion. Combine with the first batch. Don’t bother washing the processor – you will use it again.

Once the chicken has been removed from the Dutch oven, carefully remove all but 1 tablespoon of grease from the Dutch oven, or adding additional vegetable oil if necessary. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced jalapeno, chile-onion mixture, minced garlic, cumin, coriander, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. Remove pot from the heat.

Transfer 1 cup of the cooked vegetable mixture into the empty food processor. Add 1 cup of drained & rinsed beans and 1 cup of chicken broth. Pulse for 20-30 seconds, or until creamy. Pour this mixture back into the Dutch oven.

Finish preparing the chili by adding the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth along with the chicken breasts to the Dutch oven and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the chicken registers 160 degrees in the thickest part of the breast (or 175 degrees if using thighs) on an instant-read thermometer, about 20 minutes (up to 40), depending on the size of the breasts (or thighs).

Using tongs, transfer chicken to a large plate to cool. Stir in the remaining beans and continue to simmer, uncovered, until beans are heated through and the chili has thickened slightly, about 10-15 minutes.

Shred the chicken once it has cooled and discard the bones. Add the chicken, lime juice, and cilantro; stir to combine. Taste and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.

Ladle into bowls and serve topped with sour cream, diced avocado, green onions, fresh cilantro, along with tortilla chips and lime wedges on the side. Enjoy.

Slow-Simmered White Chicken Chili

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Course: Main

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: 6 - 8

Author: Pam - For the Love of Cooking / Original by Cook's Illustrated

Equipment

• Large Dutch oven
• Food Processor
• Meat Thermometer

Ingredients

White Chicken Chili:

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 lbs bone-in skin-on chicken breast halves, trimmed of excess fat
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 jalapeno seeded & deveined, minced
• 2 large poblano chile peppers stemmed, seeded, & cut into large pieces
• 2 large Anaheim chile peppers stemmed, seeded, & cut into large pieces
• 1 large sweet yellow onion cut into large pieces (2 cups)
• 6 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 ½ tsp coriander
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans white cannellini beans, drained & rinsed, divided
• 3 cups chicken broth divided
• 3 tbsp lime juice 2 limes
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped

Serve with:

• Sour Cream
• Avocado diced
• Green onions sliced
• Cilantro chopped
• Tortilla chips
• Lime wedges

Instructions

• Prepare the chicken by heating the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• Season both sides of the chicken breasts well with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.
• Place the breasts skin-side down in the HOT Dutch oven and cook undisturbed for 4 minutes, until the skin is golden brown.
• Flip the breasts over and cook the other side for 2 minutes.
• Remove from the Dutch oven and set aside on a plate to cool a bit.
• Once the chicken has cooled, remove the skin and discard.
• Prepare the chile peppers and onion while the chicken is cooking, by putting half of the Anaheim, poblano, and onion in a food processor for 12 (1-second) pulses, until consistency of chunky salsa.
• Transfer mixture to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining Anaheim, poblano, and onion.
• Combine with the first batch. Don't bother washing the processor - you will use it again.
• Once the chicken has been removed from the Dutch oven, carefully remove all but 1 tablespoon of grease from the Dutch oven, or adding additional vegetable oil if necessary.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced jalapeno, chile-onion mixture, minced garlic, cumin, coriander, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
• Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. Remove pot from the heat.
• Transfer 1 cup of the cooked vegetable mixture into the empty food processor.
• Add 1 cup of drained & rinsed beans and 1 cup of chicken broth.
• Pulse for 20-30 seconds, or until creamy. Pour this mixture back into the Dutch oven.
• Finish preparing the chili by adding the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth along with the chicken breasts to the Dutch oven and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the chicken registers 160 degrees in the thickest part of the breast (or 175 degrees if using thighs) on an instant-read thermometer, about 20 minutes (up to 40), depending on the size of the breasts (or thighs).
• Using tongs, transfer chicken to a large plate to cool.
• Stir in the remaining beans and continue to simmer, uncovered, until beans are heated through and the chili has thickened slightly, about 10-15 minutes.
• Shred the chicken once it has cooled and discard the bones.
• Add the chicken (and any juices from the plate), lime juice, and cilantro; stir to combine.
• Taste and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.
• Ladle into bowls and serve topped with sour cream, diced avocado, green onions, fresh cilantro, along with tortilla chips and lime wedges on the side. Enjoy.

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