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Easy White Chicken Chili (Ready in 35 Minutes)

No roux, no heavy cream, no fuss. This easy white chicken chili is creamy, cozy, and ready in 35 minutes, with leftovers that taste even better.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

What You'll Need
Serves about six:
  • One tablespoon olive oil
  • One medium onion diced
  • Three garlic cloves minced
  • One pound boneless skinless chicken breast (or use shredded rotisserie chicken)
  • Two four-ounce cans diced green chilies
  • Two teaspoons ground cumin
  • One teaspoon dried oregano
  • Half a teaspoon chili powder
  • Four cups chicken broth
  • Two fifteen-ounce cans white beans cannellini or great northern, drained
  • Four ounces cream cheese softened
  • One cup corn fresh or frozen, optional
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Shredded Monterey Jack cilantro, and lime wedges, for serving

Method
 

How to Make It
    STEP 1
    1. In a large pot heat the olive oil over medium heat, then add the chopped onion and cook it for about
    2. four minutes until it has softened. After that, add the garlic and cook it for another thirty seconds or until
    3. it is fragrant.
    STEP 2
    1. Add the raw chicken breast to the pot at this point together with the green chilies, cumin, oregano, and
    2. chili powder. Pour in the chicken broth and bring all of it to a gentle boil. Then lower the heat, cover the
    3. pot, and let it simmer for approximately twenty minutes until the chicken is cooked through
    STEP 3
    1. Use the tongs to remove the chicken and then cut it into shreds on the cutting board with two forks
    2. before putting it back into the pot. In the case where you have used rotisserie chicken, simply stir the
    3. shredded meat into the pot at this stage rather than cooking it separately.
    STEP 4
    1. If you're using them, add the white beans and the corn, then leave the mixture to simmer together for
    2. an additional five minutes so that the flavours can combine. Reduce the heat, mix in the cream cheese
    3. and continue stirring until it has completely melted into the broth and the whole thing looks smooth and
    4. well combined.
    5. Season it with salt and pepper to taste, then transfer it to bowls and, just before serving, sprinkle on
    6. some shredded cheese, a little cilantro, and add a squeeze of lime.
    A Few Things I've Learned Making This
    1. It's important not to skip the step of softening the cream cheese, otherwise it will clump rather than melt
    2. smoothly into the broth. It's much easier to shred the chicken while it's still warm than it is to wait for it
    3. to cool down. If you prefer a thicker chili, then while serving mash some of the beans against the side of
    4. the pot since this will thicken the mixture without the need for any additional ingredients. And you
    5. should taste the dish before adding salt because both the canned beans and the broth already have a
    6. considerable amount of salt in them.
    If You Want to Switch It Up
    1. If you prefer something a bit richer, use boneless thighs instead of the chicken breast. Instead of corn,
    2. a can of hominy will do nicely if you're aiming for a posole-style dish. For extra spice, you can add
    3. some diced jalapeño together with the onion, or alternatively mix in a little hot sauce at the end. Should
    4. you wish to make it dairy-free, omit the cream cheese and mash some of the extra beans into the broth
    5. so that you still get a similar creaminess. You can also prepare it in a slow cooker by adding all the
    6. ingredients except the cream cheese and cooking it on low for six hours, after which you stir the cream
    7. cheese in during the last twenty minutes.
    Storing Leftovers
    1. It will remain fresh in the refrigerator for up to four days and, similar to most soups, improves in taste
    2. after a day or two as the flavours settle down. It freezes well for about two months as well, although the
    3. texture may become slightly grainy when it has been thawed since it contains cream
    4. cheese—something which can usually be fixed by a quick stir when reheating. When reheating, do so
    5. gently on the stove over medium-low heat and stir from time to time to prevent anything from burning at
    6. the bottom.
    Questions People Ask Me
      Can I use canned chicken rather than cooking the chicken from scratch?
      1. Yes, but the texture will
      2. be quite different and the broth will not absorb as much flavour when simmered with the chicken. If
      3. you're short on time, rotisserie chicken is a better quick option.
      Which beans are best?
      1. Cannellini and great northern beans are both suitable options since they have
      2. a mild flavour and keep their shape well. Navy beans can also be used in an emergency, even though
      3. they break down a bit more.
      Can I make this spicier?
      1. Yes, you could use diced jalapeños, extra chili powder, or a few dashes of
      2. hot sauce at the end, depending on the level of heat you want.
      Is this the same as regular chili?
      1. No, it isn't. Regular chili generally has a tomato base and usually
      2. contains ground beef, whereas white chicken chili omits the tomatoes altogether and instead relies on
      3. chicken, white beans, and green chilies to provide its flavour and colour.

      Notes

      It's one of those recipes that comes together more quickly than you'd anticipate even though the result is so comforting. Although it's simple enough to prepare on a weeknight it still has the air of something appropriate to serve to guests, particularly when there's a variety of toppings available so that each person can create their own bowl. If you make a batch on a Sunday you'll have basically sorted out lunch for half the week.