White Chicken Chili Is Fast But Tastes Like It's Been Simmering All Day (2024)

Table of Contents
Ingredients Directions FAQs

When planning agame day menuor seeking inspiration for a Sunday supper, chili always is always a crowd-pleasing idea.White chicken chili takes some of the creamy flavors from chicken pot pie filling and merges it with beans, peppers, and some of our favorite taco seasonings for a dishthat's hearty and flavorful. This hearty, one-pot meal comes together quickly but tastes like it's been simmering all day. (And if you've got all day, try this amazing recipe for slow-cooker white chicken chili.) The lime juice and cilantro add a burst of freshness right at the end!

What is white chicken chili?

White chicken chili starts with a mix of tried-and-true chili ingredients: onions, peppers (in this case, poblanos), garlic and jalapeño. We add white beans, corn, cooked chicken (a rotisserie chicken works great) and tons of spices, then finish the stew with a little heavy cream, lime juice and chopped cilantro.

How can I make white chicken chili less spicy?

The great thing about this chili recipe is the spice is totally customizable. If you can't handle the heat, make sure to remove all the seeds from the jalapeño before dicing it. Or, if you want to really dial down the spice, leave out the jalapeño altogether! Poblanos and green chiles are relatively mild, so there's no reason to leave those out.

How do I thicken white chicken chili?

There are a couple of ways to thicken chili. Theeasiest method is to add a thickener like cornmeal, masa harina, or even polenta. These will need to simmer for a several minutes in the liquid in order to absorb moisture from the soup and thicken. (A medium-coarse cornmeal needs at least10 minutes of simmering to thicken the stew and become tender.)

Another great way to thicken white chicken chili is to use an ingredient that you are already putting in the soup: beans! There are two ways to do this. First, you canadd the beans to the pot and cook as directed. Once the beans have had a chance to soften, use a potato masher to mash some of them into a paste that will thicken the chili. Or, hold back about 1 cup of the drained and rinsed beansand 1/2 cup of the chicken stock fromthe recipe. In a blender or small bowl of a food processor, purée the beans and stock for 1 to2 minutes until thickened and very smooth. Add this puree to the chili near the end of cooking (like when you add the cooked chicken), to thicken the broth. If you are going to try one of thesebean thickening techniques, you should omit the cornmeal from the recipe.

What can you serve with white chicken chili?

If you're making white chicken chili for a crowd, you may be looking for a few sides to round out the meal. Nothing goes better with chili than a skillet of cornbread. Make classic cornbread or spice things up with some jalapeño cornbread. A side salad would offer some cool, balancing crunch, too. And who can say no to batch of margaritas and bowl of guacamole?

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Yields:
6 - 8 serving(s)
Prep Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
45 mins

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp.

    olive oil

  • 1

    onion, chopped

  • 2

    poblano peppers, chopped

  • 1 tsp.

    kosher salt, divided,plus more to taste

  • 3

    cloves garlic, chopped

  • 1

    jalapeño, chopped(seeds removed, if you don’t like it spicy!)

  • 1 tbsp.

    ground cumin

  • 1 tsp.

    ground coriander

  • 1 tsp.

    chili powder

  • 1/2 tsp.

    black pepper

  • 2 tsp.

    dried oregano

  • 4 c.

    chicken broth, divided

  • 3 tbsp.

    cornmeal or masa harina

  • 2

    (15-oz.) cans white beans (such as cannellini or great northern beans), drained and rinsed

  • 1

    (4-oz.) can chopped green chilis

  • 1 c.

    frozen corn

  • 3 c.

    cooked chicken (from 1 rotisserie chicken)

  • 1/2 c.

    heavy cream

  • 2 tbsp.

    fresh lime juice

  • 2 tbsp.

    chopped cilantro leaves, plus more for serving

  • Tortilla chips, shredded monterey jack cheese, andsour cream, for serving

Directions

    1. Step1Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, then onion and poblano pepper. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook until slightly softened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeño, and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the cumin, coriander, chili powder, black pepper, and oregano, and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more.
    2. Step2In a small measuring cup, whisk together 1/2 cup of chicken broth and the cornmeal or masa harina.
    3. Step3Add the remaining 3 1/2 cups chicken broth, cornmeal mixture, white beans, canned green chilis, and corn to the Dutch oven. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, over medium heat. Stir in the chicken and cook for 5 minutes more. Stir in the heavy cream, lime juice, and cilantro, and remove from the heat. Season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, plus more to taste.
    4. Step4Serve topped with additional cilantro, tortilla chips, shredded cheese, andsour cream.
White Chicken Chili Is Fast But Tastes Like It's Been Simmering All Day (2024)

FAQs

What to do if white chicken chili is too spicy? ›

Add a generous dollop of sour cream, creme fraiche, or yogurt to scorching hot chili or stews, or even a touch of milk or cream. For best results, though, go with full-fat dairy. For tomato sauces and stews that don't want dairy, try shredding some cheese on top. Photo by Meredith.

Why is my white chicken chili watery? ›

Adding too much stock, broth, or water.

If your chili looks watery, you may have poured in more than required. Next time, add just a little at a time and increase the liquid as necessary.

How long does it take to simmer chili? ›

Add diced tomatoes, tomato juice, ketchup, beans, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic salt, pepper, paprika, cumin and cayenne. Simmer: Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring, then reduce the heat and simmer over medium-low heat for at least one hour, or up to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

What can I add to white chicken chili to thicken it? ›

From the Editor
  1. Use a cornstarch slurry: Mix together equal parts cornstarch and cold water, then stir it into the chili.
  2. Simmer the chili longer: The longer you simmer the chili, the thicker it will be. ...
  3. Add more beans: Mash another can of cannellini beans with a potato masher, then stir it into the chili.
Oct 19, 2023

What neutralizes spicy food? ›

Balancing it with an acid can help neutralize the molecule's activity. This means drinking or eating something acidic — such as lemonade, limeade, orange juice or a tomato-based food item or drink — may also help cool your mouth down. (Milk is also acidic, by the way.) DO down some carbs.

How do you reduce the heat in chili sauce? ›

2. Tips For Making Sauce Less Spicy
  1. Add more of the non-spicy ingredients.
  2. Use sour flavors.
  3. Add a sweetener.
  4. Add alcohol.
  5. Add butter or olive oil.
  6. Add coconut milk.
  7. Add yogurt.
Feb 12, 2024

How do you fix chili that's too watery? ›

Usually, 1 to 2 tablespoons of cornmeal are all you will need to get a nice, thick texture. Let the chili simmer for an additional 10 minutes or so, stirring frequently until you've reached your desired thickness.

How do you fix watery chili? ›

If your chili is too watery, there are a few steps you can take to thicken it: Simmer Longer: Continue cooking the chili uncovered over low heat to allow excess liquid to evaporate. Add Thickeners: Mix a small amount of cornstarch or flour with cold water and add it to the chili. Cook while stirring until it thickens.

How do you fix too watery chili? ›

The good news is there are lots of easy ways to thicken up your chili with ingredients you likely already have in your pantry— flour, cornmeal, pureed beans, cornstarch, or even crushed tortilla chips will help do the job, along with some good old extra simmering time.

Should chili simmer all day? ›

Cook over low heat for at least four hours or up to 8 hours. In final hour of cooking remove cover and increase heat slightly to reduce liquid. Once chili reaches desired consistency replace cover and reduce heat back to low. Serve with side bowls of sour cream and shredded cheese (cheddar, or a good mix) and crackers.

Is it OK to let chili simmer all day? ›

If you have time to make it the day before or early in the day and can let it simmer all day, your chili will go from good to AMAZING. Simmering all day allows the meat, beans, and onions to soften and the flavors to meld together. There's just no substitution for chili that is cooked low and slow all day!

Does chili taste better the longer you simmer it? ›

Chili is most commonly prepared at a low temperature and for an extended period of time (low and slow), which develops a deeper, spiced aroma. But, the longer cook time can often result in a flat flavor.

How do you make chili taste better? ›

How to Give Chili a Flavor Boost
  1. Add something acidic. ...
  2. Try to identify what about your chili is boring. ...
  3. Add tomato paste. ...
  4. Drop in some chocolate. ...
  5. Embrace pickling liquid. ...
  6. Stir in some molasses.

How do you thicken white chicken chili without cornstarch? ›

Mix in Cornmeal

Another easy way to thicken chili is to add 1 to 2 tablespoons of cornmeal. According to Wofford, the ingredient will soak up the hot liquid, creating a creamy texture (like cooked polenta).

Should chili be thick or soupy? ›

Chili should be thick and hearty enough to be a meal on its own, but sometimes there's just a bit more liquid than you want in the pot. While you can simply keep simmering the chili, that method risks overcooking softer ingredients like the beans, losing all your nice texture to mushy monotony.

How do you neutralize spice in chicken? ›

Adding dairy can help reduce the amount of spice in food and also provide a cooling effect. You should add milk, curd or even cream to the dish to adjust the spice levels. Apart from adding in the dish, you should drink milk rather than water to reduce the effect of hot spicy food.

How do you tone down spicy jerk chicken? ›

  1. Orange or pineapple or guava or mango juice.
  2. A nice ripe and diced fresh mango with its juice (or some similar alternative)
  3. Sweet red pepper jam.
  4. may need to add some or increase acidity in the form of apple cider vinegar.
Feb 7, 2023

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