I love a hearty beef chili as much as the next guy, but once
in a while there’s nothing wrong with going over to the light side, and
enjoying an equally comforting bowl of white bean and chicken chili. I’ve always used thighs for my chicken chili, which of
course have more fat and flavor, but after a bunch of requests for a chicken
breast version, I decided give it a go, and I was very happy with the results.
The key is to not overcook the chicken when you sear it.
You want it slightly undercooked, maybe about 150 degrees F. internal temp,
since it will cook all the way when we add it back in. You’ll notice when I
slice mine, there’s a little bit of opaqueness to the flesh, which is what you
want.
This is intended to be a relatively quick and simple
weeknight meal, so I didn’t add much in the way of extras, but things like
peppers, squash, and mushrooms are always welcomed additions.
I know you’re probably missing those long, warm summer days
right about now, but one of the great things about this season’s cold, wet
weather is that it begs for recipes like this. I hope you pour yourself a
beer, grab a chunk of bread, and dig into a bowl of this soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 4 portions:
2 tsp vegetable oil
2 or 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1 1/4 lbs
salt and pepper to taste
1 large onion
4 cloves garlic
1 tbsp ancho chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp flour
about 3 cups chicken broth or stock, divided
1 tsp fine cornmeal
2 cans (15oz) white beans
cayenne to taste
1/4 tsp sugar or to taste
1/3 cup chopped green onions
sour cream and cilantro to garnish