White Chicken Chili

Week 2 of the NFL season means the second of seventeen chili recipes. This week's recipe is loaded with chunks of chicken and cannellini beans. It is a hearty, meaty chili that looks nothing like traditional red chili. It is, however, a nice change of pace from the ordinary. I use two Anaheim chilies and two jalapenos in this recipe, but I treat them both the same way. I roast them, remove the skin and seeds, and chop them. Combined with cumin and oregano, the chilies give the dish the majority of its flavor. 

The secret to this chili is the chilies. Or more specifically, roasting the chilies. There are multiple ways to roast chilies, so use whatever method works for you.  The first method is using an open flame. If you have a gas stove, you can roast the peppers by turning the burner on to medium and placing the peppers right on the burner. This method is pretty quick, but you have to turn them often and be careful not to burn the peppers. A second method involves placing the peppers in a heated iron skillet and dry roasting them. The third method is to spread the peppers on a baking sheet and place them under the broiler. Regardless of method, the key is to char the peppers all over and then place them in a paper bag. Placing the peppers in a paper bag for about 15 minutes allows the steam to loosen the skins of the peppers. Once removed from the bag, the peppers can be seeded and skinned by pulling off the top and rinsing the skin and seeds away.

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I enjoyed watching the Colts get their first win of the season!

White Chicken Chili

2 Anaheim chilies
2 jalapenos
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 large white onion, chopped
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1/2 Tbsp oregano
1/4 to 1/2 tsp ground red pepper
4 cups chicken broth, divided
3 cans (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz) white cream corn
2 Tbsp cornstarch
Avocado, cheese, and sour cream for garnish, if desired

Roast the peppers according to one of the methods listed above. Remove seeds and skins. Chop roasted peppers roughly and set aside.

In large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and onion and cook until onions are softened and chicken is no longer pink, stirring often. Add chilies, cumin, oregano, and red pepper. Stir and cook one minute, or until spices become fragrant.

Add 3-1/2 cups chicken broth to pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for one hour.  Remove lid, raise heat to medium and add corn and beans. Dissolve cornstarch in remaining 1/2 cup broth and stir into chili.  Continue cooking until chili is thickened and beans are heated through, about 30 minutes.  Garnish and serve.

Next week:  Smoky Sausage and Bean Chili