By Jordan Yseth, Dietetic Intern [University of Minnesota – Fairview]
Whoever invented the crockpot is a genius! This simple-to-use appliance can save you a lot of time in the kitchen. You can use your crockpot anytime of the year, but I love using mine most to make soups and stews when it starts to get cold outside.
Anything from tacos to roasted chicken can be made in a crockpot. All you have to do is turn is on in the morning before you leave for work, and your meal will be ready by dinnertime. Another thing I love about using my crockpot is that I don’t even need to use a recipe: I just start putting whatever I have in the kitchen into the pot with a little chicken or vegetable broth.
This white chicken chili is one of my favorite crockpot recipes. It tends to be a little on the lighter side compared to regular chili. I like to make mine spicy by adding more jalapenos and chilies, and then top it with Monterey jack cheese and sour cream.
White Chicken Chili
Serves 8
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 1/2 large white onions, finely chopped
- 3 or 4 sticks of celery, chopped
- 1 medium jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped (2 jalapeños if you like it spicy)
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Two 4-oz. cans diced green chilies (3 cans for even more spice!)
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. ground coriander
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
- Three 15-oz. cans white beans (preferably cannellini, white kidney, or Great Northern), drained and rinsed
- Optional toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, cilantro, avocado slices
Directions:
- Combine chicken, onions, celery, jalapeño, garlic, chilies, cumin, coriander, 3 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a slow cooker. Pour in chicken stock, cover and cook on high 4 hours or low 6–8 hours.
- To finish chili, add beans and corn during the last 30 minutes of cooking; cover and cook on high 30 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Shred chicken in slow cooker with two forks.
- Divide chili among bowls. Optional toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, cilantro, avocado slices. Serve with lime wedges and bread.
Tips:
- If you’re not a fan of spicy foods, you can easily omit the jalapenos and green chilies from the recipe.
- For less sodium, choose low-sodium versions of the white beans and chicken broth.
- Many veggies would taste great with this chili. Try carrots, broccoli or green peas for some extra nutrients.
Nutrition Information:
For 1 serving: 350 calories, 4 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 34 g protein, 48 g carbs, 4 g sugar, 85 mg sodium
