Open Arms of Minnesota

Weekly Recipe #309: White Chicken Chili

White Chicken Chili
Photo credit: Hilary Stone/Flickr

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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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


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