White Bean Chicken Chili with Monterey Jack Cheese
This recipe is for people who love the comfort of white bean chicken chili, only without gobs of cream or thickeners. Instead of using heavy cream, I use a blend of two types of white beans (Great Northern or navy beans, and cannellini) to give the chili a hearty texture and a naturally thick, creamy base. Shredded Monterey Jack melts into the chili to give it a smooth, velvety texture.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size cubes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion about 1 large onion
- 2 finely chopped garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
- ¼ cup chopped fresh jalapeño pepper
- 2 15.5 ounce cans Great Northern or navy beans, including can liquid
- 1 15.5 ounce can cannellini beans drained
- 2¾ cups chicken broth
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese plus more for garnish
- 2-3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Garnishes
- Additional shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- Sour cream
- Thinly sliced jalapeno pepper
- Sliced or diced avocado
- Chopped green onions
- Tortilla chips
Instructions
- Put the cubed chicken on a large plate. Season the chicken evenly on all sides, with a generous pinch of salt and an even grind of black pepper.
- Place a large (about 5-quarts) pot over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the chicken to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until the surface of the chicken is opaque. The pieces should still be pink and raw in the middle, because it will finish cooking later in the simmering chili. Remove the chicken to the plate.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot (you don't need to wipe it out). Add 1 cup chopped onion, 2 finely chopped garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, and ¼ cup chopped fresh jalapeño pepper. Cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened and the spices have "bloomed" in the oil. This is an import step for building your flavor base.
- Add 2 15.5 ounce cans Great Northern or navy beans, including can liquid, the drained cannellini beans, 2¾ cups chicken broth, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer, then add the chicken. Cook 20 minutes, uncovered. Keep an eye on the heat level and adjust as needed so it doesn't come to a full boil, which will toughen the chicken.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Add 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese and stir until it's melted and blended into the chili. Give it a taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve the chili in bowls, topped with my suggested garnishes or simply with additional cheese.
Notes
- To save time, omit the cubed chicken breast and stir in 2 cups of shredded, pre-cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken in step 5, just before adding the cheese.
- The chili keeps refrigerated up to 5 days. To freeze, portion into sealed containers and freeze up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 316kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 27gFat: 21gSodium: 718mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2g
