Do you ever hear about something someone else is having for dinner and immediately wish you were invited? That’s exactly what happened to me when I was reading a nightly “What’s for Dinner” post on a message board that I frequent. Someone said they were having White Chicken Chili for dinner and I.could.not. get it out of my mind. Luckily I have a recipe I’ve been making for years that is easy enough to throw together on a whim.
This recipe is adapted from a recipe my aunt gave me. It happens to be dairy free (for my allergy cousin :)) but it’s still somehow creamy and delicious. The seasoned split chicken breast add a nice layer of flavor and spice level in the chili is completely adjustable. The ingredient list/directions may seem long, but it’s actually really easy to put together. Jesse wound up working late and when we spoke on the phone and I told him I had a pot of this chili on this stove he got super pumped. I like to think it inspired him to hurry up and finish his work so he could get home and eat!
Ingredients
*2 split chicken breasts, bone-in with skin
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp coriander
kosher salt & pepper
2-3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
6-8 jarred jalapeno rings, chopped
1 4 oz can chopped green chilies
1/2 cup flour
6 cups HOT chicken broth
2 tsp pepper
1 tsp dry parsley
1 tsp oregano
1 1/2 Tbsp cumin
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp hot sauce (Cholula, Tabasco, Franks)
3 15 oz cans navy or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper to taste
*We love the added layer of flavor that the roasted split chicken breasts provides, but if you want to save time, feel free to use a store roasted chicken, or even just blanched chicken.
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine the onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, coriander, and salt and pepper. Rub over the split chicken breast, skin and bone side.
Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a dutch oven or large stock pot over medium-high heat. Place chicken breast, skin side down, in the pot and cook for 3 minutes, or until skin is brown and crispy. Remove pot from heat and use tongs to transfer chicken breasts to rimmed baking sheet skin side up, tent loosely with foil, and cook for 45-55 minutes, or until internal temperature reads 165 degrees F. Remove from oven and leave tented with foil for 10-15 minutes.
While the chicken is roasting, add onion to the dutch oven/stock pot over medium heat. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until onions are translucent, stirring often to loosen any browned bits sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic, jalapeno, and green chiles. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Whisk in the flour and cook for 3-4 minutes. Slowly pour in the HOT chicken broth, stirring constantly to avoid the flour clumping. Season with parsley, oregano, and cumin, and hot sauce. Add the beans and baking soda. Reduce heat to low and simmer.
While the soup is simmering, use a fork to remove chicken from bone and shred. Add shredded chicken, along with any juices from the pan, to the chili.
Simmer until ready to eat. Serve with cheese quesadillas*, sour cream, salsa, guacamole -whatever sounds good!!
*Homemade tortillas are awesome, but I also found some cilantro & jalapeno tortillas that make delicious quesadillas! (hence the greenish quesadillas in the photo)
Adapted from my Aunt Ava’s recipe
What’s for Dinner post always makes me second guess my dinner plans! Glad to see that this meal can be whipped up on the whim! Sounds tasty!
I agree with K! I love white chicken chili and this one looks amazing! 🙂