The HIH White Chicken Chili recipe is the perfect transition recipe to usher in Fall weather. It’s hearty enough to satisfy on chilly Fall days, but still light enough to enjoy when Mother Nature throws one of those surprise hot days your way. The not so secret, secret is the homemade white chili seasoning mix and the hint of lime that brightens up the flavor.
This recipe comes together super quickly and can be left on the stove to simmer while the cook throws in a load of laundry or enjoys a few quiet moments with a glass of wine. Or a margarita, this chili would also go great with a margarita, especially an HIH Skinny Spicy Marg! Like most chili recipes, this white chicken chili just gets better as it simmers on the stove.
This chicken chili is so simple, you could pass off the responsibility of making dinner to a kitchen novice and have confidence in a delicious outcome. Simple and delicious, what more could you want? In our home, the cook doesn’t clean. So if I pass the buck on cooking dinner, I’m more concerned with how many dishes need to be cleaned. This recipe gets dinner on the table with just one dirty pot. Whether you’re cooking, cleaning or just hungry, this recipe is a winner.
Garnishes
Is a bowl of chili complete without an assortment of garnishes? Or the perfect bowI? I think not! Here’s a link to my FAVORITE chili/soup/pasta bowls and a list of my favorite garnishes for this chili.
- Avocado – this chili has a pretty low fat content, avocados are the perfect addition to add some healthy fats
- Lime wedge, red onion, cilantro – add some freshness and balance
- Sour cream or greek yogurt – cut the heat
- Flour tortillas – great for dipping
- Cornbread – do I need to say anything here? Ha!
The Seasoning Mix
The homemade seasoning mix adds the bold flavor and complexity we expect when digging into a bowl of chili. Could you buy a white chili seasoning packet? Sure, but, when you make your own you can tweak ingredients to suit your personal pallet. We love a super spicy chili, so I have cayenne and white pepper in this seasoning mix. If you prefer a milder chili, leave one or both out of the mix.
This seasoning mix could be used to add flavor to more than just this chili. Roasted chicken, turkey burgers, sprinkled on top of avocado toast, the list could go on! I keep a jar of this seasoning mixed up in my pantry. If you mix up a big batch of this seasoning, two tablespoons of your seasoning mix will be just right for the recipe as written.
Why Low Sodium?
Both canned vegetables and store bought chicken broth can be extremely high in sodium. This recipe uses the liquid from the beans to add thickness and body to the chili, so all of the sodium in the can goes right into the chili. This can make for a very salty dinner if full sodium ingredients are used. If you start low sodium or no salt added beans, chicken broth and/or diced tomatoes with green chilis you can adjust the level of salt to your taste. You can always add more salt, but you can’t take it back!
White Chicken Chili
Equipment
- Large sauce pan OR 3.5 quart dutch oven
- Wooden spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, diced into ½ inch cubes or ground chicken or turkey
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilis
- 2 16 oz cans low sodium cannellini beans
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Seasoning Mix
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried cilantro
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon white pepper optional
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
- In a large saucepan or 3.5 qt. dutch oven, over medium-high heat, begin to brown the chicken on all sides. Add the seasoning mix and stir until the chicken is evenly coated.
- Once the chicken is browned on all sides and the seasoning has evenly coated the meat, add the chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to loosen the brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
- Add the diced tomatoes with green chilis and cannellini beans directly to the saucepan, do not drain and bring up to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low. Take 1 tablespoon of liquid from the saucepan and add to a small bowl to combine with the cornstarch and lime juice to make a slurry, once the slurry mixture is homogeneous, add back to the saucepan and bring up to a boil, once the chili begins to thicken, simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Taste, add salt and/or pepper if necessary
- Serve with cornbread, beer bread and garnish sour cream, red onion, cilantro, and avocado.
Notes
- The seasoning mix is pretty spicy as written. If you prefer a milder chili, omit the white pepper and/or the cayenne pepper.
- I’ve not tested this recipe using arrowroot as a substitute for corn starch. However, if your dietary needs or desires require you to avoid cornstarch, the use of double the amount of arrowroot should yield a similar thickening result. Additionally, instead of using the hot liquid, reserve 1-2 tablespoons of room temperature chicken broth to make your slurry. Arrowroot can lose it’s thickening power when mixed into hot liquid.
- This recipe scales really well up or down.
Nutrition
For those who participated in the Instagram poll to select this weeks blog post and voted for Sweet Potato Soup, don’t you worry, its coming soon!
Post updated September 22, 2022
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