The Best White Chicken Chili

I know chili is supposed to be red.

At least that’s what my brain tells me every time I hear the words “white chicken chili.” There should be tomatoes. There should probably be beef. There should definitely be something making the whole pot considerably less white.

And yet, this version makes a very convincing argument for ignoring all of that.

It’s also ready in about half an hour, which is useful because chili weather tends to make me hungry immediately.

Ingredients for My White Chicken Chili

Nothing complicated here, just shredded chicken, white beans, corn and green pepper in a cumin-spiced broth. No heavy cream, no block of cream cheese disappearing into the pot, just plain Greek yogurt doing its magic.

This is what you’ll need:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cups (475 ml) chicken broth
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• Juice of ½ lime
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• About 1¼ cups (200 g) canned white beans, drained and rinsed. Besides adding protein and texture, the beans also help make the broth creamier
• About 1 cup (150 g) corn kernels
• About 1½ cups (200 g) cooked chicken, shredded
• 1 cup (240 g) plain Greek yogurt

Optional toppings: fresh cilantro, avocado slices and extra lime juice.

This makes about 4 bowls of chili. If you’re serving it with plenty of toppings, bread or something else alongside, you can stretch it a little further.

If what you’re looking for is a recipe to deal with some shredded chicken, I can point you in a completely different direction. Jorge’s Chicken Flatbread Pizza is an even easier option and, some might argue, just as comforting.

How To Make It

I start by cooking the chopped onion in olive oil over medium heat for about 4 minutes. Then I add the cumin and paprika and stir for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. The diced green bell pepper goes in next, and I cook everything for another 3-4 minutes, until the pepper begins to soften.

In goes the chicken broth and white beans. And this is where we cheat our way into a much creamier chili: I blend only part of it. A few pulses with an immersion blender break down some of the beans and thicken the broth while leaving enough whole beans behind that it still feels like chili rather than soup.

Then I add the corn and let everything simmer for another 5-10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. The shredded chicken goes in next, just long enough to heat it through (to 165°F if using refrigerated leftovers).

Then I turn off the heat, let the pot cool slightly, and stir in the Greek yogurt. Mixing a little warm broth into the yogurt first helps prevent it from curdling.

Finally, I stir in the lime juice and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Then comes the important part: toppings. Choose wisely!

The Bean Trick

You can skip the immersion blender if you want to. The chili will still taste good, but it’ll be noticeably brothier.

Blending just some of the beans gives the liquid body without adding flour, cornstarch or cream. I usually give it only a few pulses because I still want plenty of whole beans in there.

No immersion blender? No problem! Let about a cup of the beans and broth cool slightly, then blend until smooth in a blender suitable for hot liquids, following the manufacturer's instructions. Return the mixture to the pot. You can also simply mash some of the beans against the side of the pot with a fork or potato masher.

The Toppings Are Half the Fun

As you can see by the photos, I like avocado, plenty of cilantro and another squeeze of lime because they bring something fresh to a very creamy bowl of chili.

But you don't have to stop there.

• Add sliced jalapeños if you want some heat
• Shredded cheese if apparently there wasn't enough creaminess already
• Crushed tortilla chips for crunch
• Sliced green onions.

This is a good recipe for putting several little bowls on the table and letting everyone deal with their own chili decisions.

And if you want something on the side for scooping up whatever’s left in the bowl, my 3-Ingredient Bread Without Yeast is about as easy as homemade bread gets.