White Chili

    Chicken Chili, White Chicken Chili, White Bean Chili, call it what you want to.  We call it White Chili in my house because that was what it was called on the recipe I received about 15 years ago.  At that time, I had never heard of White Chili but was so grateful to my friend Phyllis, who not only shared a pot of it with me but also gave me the recipe.

   During my second year of teaching (back when I was really young.  Like 22 years old young.) Phyllis and I became friends through her very, very generous offer to teach me and my friend Cristy all the secrets of producing award-winning yearbooks.  She herself oversaw many beautiful books and then passed her legacy on to us.  Phyllis spent countless hours sharing tip after tip with us.  Sad to say, all of those hours were spent in vain as this part of my career only lasted a hot minute before I realized this was NOT my calling!  I can say, however, that I continue to make and share many of her recipes so hopefully Phyllis does not regret the times we spent together; I know I certainly don't!  I treasure my memories of going to her warm and cozy house in the evenings and on the weekends when I still lived in my small apartment.  She and her sister were always so welcoming and for that I am grateful.

   As for the chili, in the years since I first received the recipe, I have seen countless others and you can find this on many restaurant menus these days.  I am just going to come right out and assert that this is the very best recipe for white chili out there.  Call me bold, but I just don't care.  I can only speak the truth on this matter.

   To me, one of the things that makes this version so good is that it starts with dried beans.  I know that many of my readers are looking for quick, weeknight recipes so just know up front that this is not one of those.  I only make this on weekends or holidays so that I have time to treat the beans right.  You could certainly try replacing the dried beans with canned ones, but just don't expect the same results.  In my opinion, canned kidneys work great in traditional red chili, but white canned beans tend to be really mushy.  If you do try, just don't blame me when the recipe isn't all that great!

   Now, having said this about the beans, let me tell you where I DO use a short-cut in this chili!  I only ever use rotisserie chicken because I flat out can't get the right flavor in the chicken with anything else.  I also find the rotisserie chicken shreds perfectly for this recipe.  I don't shred it completely because I like a few bigger pieces.  Just tear it apart with your hands and it will come out perfectly every time.

   Another reason I love this recipe is because there are several layers of flavors.  None of the steps are hard, but I would advise not skipping them because you won't get the richness that I do when I make this.

   The last piece of advice I have for making this recipe a winner is to be very particular in how you serve it.  My friends that know me well know that I am extremely particular when it comes to food and that is definitely the case with this!  Make sure you have some good jarred salsa on hand (my favorite is Walmart's Garlic Lime -- their own brand), sour cream, freshly shredded pepper jack cheese, and really great blue tortilla chips.  I only like the Simply Tostitos  kind because they are super thin and perfectly salted.

   We are currently covered in about 4" of snow here in East Tennessee and I am really wishing I had the ingredients on hand for this.  If you do or if you can get to the store, here is a great recipe for a snow day!

Click on the title for a printable version.

White Chili

1 large package of dried Northern beans
6 C. chicken broth plus a little more if needed (I use jarred broth base and make my own because it's cheaper)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium onions, chopped finely
2 4 oz. cans chopped mild green chiles
1 T. oil
2 t. ground cumin
1 1/2 t. oregano
1/4 t. crushed red pepper
4 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded (I use two rotisserie chicken breasts)
grated pepper jack cheese
salsa
sour cream
tortilla chips

Look through beans carefully and remove bad beans or small rocks.  Either soak them the night before or use the quick soak method on the back of the bag (allow a little time for this).

After soaking  and draining beans, return them to the pot with the chicken broth, half the chopped onions, and the garlic.  Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer.  Cook for 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until beans are tender but not falling apart.  Add additional broth if necessary.

Sautee remaining onions in a small skillet with the oil.  Add to beans with chiles, seasonings, and chicken.  Simmer 1 hour.

Serve topped with sour cream, cheese, salsa, and chips.