White Chicken Chili

While this recipe reminds me of a chowder — with its rich, ultra-creamy broth and chunky textures — the warm, smoky cumin and trio of fresh, punchy toppings leave it firmly planted in chili territory. It’s quick enough to slot into your midweek meal plan (don’t forget to serve it with your favorite chili side dishes!), and it yields excellent leftovers.

Now, you can certainly make this chili starting with leftover rotisserie or shredded chicken, which will save some time, but it does mean sacrificing some flavor. Using pre-cooked chicken means missing out on the warm, smoky, chili-tinged aromas that get infused into the meat when starting with uncooked chicken breast.

• The chicken is extra flavorful. My trick is to poach the chicken right in the pot. It picks up the smoky scent of cumin, warm heat from the chiles, and a subtle sweetness from the onion.
• It’s a true one-pot meal. Cooking the chicken in the flavorful broth is hugely efficient, making one less pot to wash in this quick-simmered weeknight chili.

• Chicken breasts: You’ll need 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
• Aromatics: Yellow onion, celery, green bell pepper, and garlic make the chili extra flavorful.
• Spices: Use a combination of ground cumin and chili powder to flavor the broth.
• Canned green chilies and beans: Fire-roasted green chiles and white beans, such as Great Northern or cannellini, add flavor and bulk up the chili.
• Corn: Fresh or frozen yellow corn kernels add some sweetness.
• Roux: You’ll make a roux with equal parts unsalted butter and all-purpose flour.
• Milk: Whisk in whole or 2% milk into the roux until smooth, then add this mixture to the chili to thicken it.

1. Cook the aromatics. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large heavy stock pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper, and cook until very soft. Stir in the green chiles, garlic, cumin, chili powder, kosher salt, and pepper, and cook for a minute more.
2. Cook the chicken. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the chicken breasts, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through.
3. Shred the chicken. Transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board. Shred the meat with two forks, then return the chicken to the pot. Stir in the beans and corn, reduce the heat to low, and simmer.
4. Make the roux. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until completely combined. The mixture will look like wet sand. Cook until the mixture begins to dry out and turn golden-brown. Gradually whisk in a little bit of the milk until smooth, then whisk in the remainder until smooth.
5. Thicken the chili. Pour the mixture into the chili, and stir until completely incorporated and smooth. Bring to a boil, then cook, stirring frequently until slightly thickened. Serve topped with sour cream, scallions, and cheese, if desired.

Leftovers will keep for up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.

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