20-Minute White Chicken Chili (small batch)

 

We are having a spate of really cold weather here.  Winter's last hurrah.   Well, I guess it isn't really all that cold temperature-wise (just above freezing), but strong winds make it particularly biting.  This is soup and stew weather!

I am a huge fan of white chili's.  I prefer them over the red chili's, but that is because I am not a real lover of ground beef. You do not often see me cooking with it here in my kitchen. I much prefer poultry.

This recipe for White Chicken Chili is one that I adapted from a recipe I found in a cookbook entitled A Bountiful Kitchen by Si Foster.  

 

 

My mom used to make what she called chili con carne for my dad.  My father loved the chili from Tim Hortons, and she would make it for him at home. I was never particularly fond of it.  This is not that chili. I believe my mom got her recipe from a can of tomato soup and it was basically a can of soup, some hamburger, a can of tomatoes, and a can of beans.  Oh, and some chili powder.  Again, this is not that chili.

This is a delicious white chili, which is probably as quick to make as my mother's version, but I can promise you it is a whole lot tastier. (Sorry mom!)   It takes relatively few ingredients and goes together in a flash.  If you have a saucepan, a piece of chicken and 20 minutes of time, you are well on your way to making this!

A few store cupboard ingredients, and a whole lotta love is all it takes. I have used a fresh jalapeno chili for this smaller sized version, but if you only have canned chopped chilies, you can use some of those in it's place. (The rest will freeze.)

This chili is so easy and quick to make, even a beginning cook can master it!  Once again, it is delicious and sized perfectly for the smaller family, but can easily be doubled or tripled. I promise you!

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE 20 MINUTE WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

A few simple ingredients and about half an hours time. Oh and a hearty appetite!

• 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/2 TBS light olive oil
• 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 fresh lime, divided
• fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 fresh jalapeno chili, trimmed, deseeded and chopped
• 1 tin (15 oz/425g) cannellini beans, undrained
• 1 1/2 cups (360ml) chicken broth
• 1 cup (150g) sweet corn (frozen or canned)
• 3/4 tsp ground coriander
• 3/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 cup (120ml) cream

To serve: (all optional)

• Grated jack cheese
• tortilla chips
• chopped spring onions
• sour cream
• tortilla chips
• reserved lime wedges

 

When chicken breasts are on offer I will buy a package and then freeze them individually, bagging them in zip lock baggies, and then popping all of the baggies into a larger zip lock baggie. These thaw out really quickly. I just take one out, pop it into a saucepan of cold water and about an hour later I have a chicken breast ready to use in whatever way I want!

The original recipe used canned chilies, but since this was a much smaller version, I adapted it to use one fresh green jalapeno, which was perfect for this size.  The larger recipe used a whole clove of garlic, and I felt to leave that the same for this smaller version. It worked fine.

You can use any tinned white bean to make this chili.  Haricot beans also work very well.

 

HOW TO MAKE 20 MINUTE WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

This really takes only 20 minutes to make. Its incredibly delicious.  Sized for the smaller family you can double or triple this recipe to feed more! Times should remain the same.

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and chopped chili. Cook and stir over medium heat until beginning to soften.

Season the chicken breast all over with salt and black pepper. Place on top of the softened onion and chili in the saucepan. Cut the lime in half and squeeze half of the juice over top of the chicken. (Reserve the other half to serve with the finished soup.)

 

Cover the saucepan and cook for 8 minutes, turning halfway through the cook time, until the chicken is cooked through, no longer pink and the juices run clear. (Obviously if your piece of chicken is very large or thick, it may take longer.)

Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred using two forks.

Add the garlic to the saucepan and cook for 30 seconds, then stir in the coriander and cumin. Cook for a further 30 seconds or so until quite aromatic.

 

Add the beans, broth and corn to the saucepan and bring to the boil. Boil gently for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce to a simmer. Stir in the chicken and any juices which have accumulated on the cutting board, along with the cream.

Heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning as required. Serve hot and ladled into heated bowls with your desired toppings. Delicious!

 

Not only was this quick and easy to put together, but it was incredibly delicious!  It tasted like a soup that you had spent hours putting together, but in reality was ready to eat in less than half an hour. 

 

I enjoyed mine topped with a Tex Mex shredded cheese for a bit of spice, and some Crisp tortilla salad toppings as I was out of tortilla chips.  This was wonderful.   I also added some lime wedges/slices to squeeze over the top. This was quite simply fabulous!

If you are looking for delicious soups or stews to help to get you through these last cold days of Winter, then you might also be interested in the following tasty options!

ROAST CHICKEN SOUP WITH BARLEY, PARSNIPS & CABBAGE - This delicious soup starts with a delicious homemade stock which is made from the carcass of a roasted chicken. I always make stock with my leftover chicken bones and then freeze it, ready to use for recipes like this hearty soup. For this delicious soup I combined my own homemade stock, pearl barley, grated parsnips, and cabbage with perfectly delicious results.  You can use ready made stock as well if you want. 

TOMATO, BEEF & MACARONI SOUP - This hearty soup uses a few simple store-cupboard ingredients, and leftover cooked roast beef. You can also use browned ground beef if you don't have any leftover roast beef.  Not only is it very economical, but it is incredibly hearty and makes for a super quick mid-week or weekend supper.  Especially if you pair it with some crusty bread and perhaps a salad on the side! 

Yield: 2 - 3

Author: Marie Rayner

20-Minute White Chicken Chili

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 20 Min

White chicken chili is every bit as delicious as the red stuff. This version is quick and easy to make and perfectly sized for the smaller family.

Ingredients

• 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/2 TBS light olive oil
• 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 fresh lime, divided
• fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 fresh jalapeno chili, trimmed, deseeded and chopped
• 1 tin (15 oz/425g) cannellini beans, undrained
• 1 1/2 cups (360ml) chicken broth
• 1 cup (150g) sweet corn (frozen or canned)
• 3/4 tsp ground coriander
• 3/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 cup (120ml) cream

To serve: (all optional)

• Grated jack cheese
• tortilla chips
• chopped spring onions
• sour cream
• tortilla chips
• reserved lime wedges

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and chopped chili. Cook and stir over medium heat until beginning to soften.
2. Season the chicken breast all over with salt and black pepper. Place on top of the softened onion and chili in the saucepan. Cut the lime in half and squeeze half of the juice over top of the chicken. (Reserve the other half to serve with the finished soup.)
3. Cover the saucepan and cook for 8 minutes, turning halfway through the cook time, until the chicken is cooked through, no longer pink and the juices run clear. (Obviously if your piece of chicken is very large or thick, it may take longer.)
4. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred using two forks.
5. Add the garlic to the saucepan and cook for 30 seconds, then stir in the coriander and cumin. Cook for a further 30 seconds or so until quite aromatic.
6. Add the beans, broth and corn to the saucepan and bring to the boil. Boil gently for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce to a simmer. Stir in the chicken and any juices which have accumulated on the cutting board, along with the cream.
7. Heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning as required. Serve hot and ladled into heated bowls with your desired toppings. Delicious!

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