Description
Simmering White Chicken Chili warms hearts faster than grandma’s hugs, bringing comfort straight from your kitchen to the dinner table. Creamy, hearty, and packed with tender chicken, this chili turns weeknight dinners into cherished moments your family will savor.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Proteins:
- 2 ½ cups shredded cooked rotisserie or left-over chicken
- 2 15 oz cans cannellini beans
Base and Liquid Ingredients:
- 2 14.5 oz cans low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 ¼ cup frozen or fresh corn
- 1 7 oz can diced green chilies
- 1 8 oz package Neufchatel cheese
Seasonings and Garnishes:
- 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- tortilla chips or strips
- monterrey jack cheese
- sliced avocado
Instructions
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Sauté the diced yellow onion for 4 minutes until translucent.
- Add 2 finely minced garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Pour in 2 cans of low-sodium chicken broth, 1 can of diced green chilies, and add 1 ½ tsp cumin, ½ tsp paprika, ½ tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp ground coriander, and ¼ tsp cayenne pepper.
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Drain and rinse 2 cans of cannellini beans. Separate 1 cup of whole beans and set aside.
- Transfer 1 cup of beans to a food processor with ¼ cup broth. Puree until nearly smooth.
- Add 8 oz of cubed Neufchatel cheese, 1 ¼ cup corn, whole beans, and pureed beans to the pot. Stir thoroughly.
- Simmer the mixture for 5-10 minutes, allowing flavors to meld and cheese to melt completely.
- Stir in 2 ½ cups shredded cooked chicken, 1 tbsp fresh lime juice, and 2 tbsp chopped cilantro.
- Serve hot with optional toppings like Monterrey Jack cheese, extra cilantro, avocado slices, and tortilla chips.
Notes
- Puree some beans to create a thicker, creamier chili texture without adding extra flour or cornstarch.
- Fresh lime juice adds brightness, so squeeze it right before serving to keep the zesty flavor sharp.
- For a lighter version, use skinless chicken breast and reduce Neufchatel cheese to cut calories.
- Swap beans for roasted vegetables if following a low-carb diet, keeping the protein and spice profile consistent.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 - 30 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg