About 8 years ago, my boss at the time gave everyone in the department a local cookbook as part of our Christmas gift. When we asked him what was his favorite recipe, he directed us to a recipe his wife submitted for white chicken chili.
I made it the following Sunday. At the time, we had NFL Sunday ticket, and Sundays revolved around football and comfort food. 🙂 Since then, the White Chicken Chili has become an opening weekend tradition.
Because it is light, and pretty easy to make, I tend to make it a lot throughout the year. It is even good on a cooler summer day. I have taken it to many potlucks over the years, and I can honestly say that it is the recipe I get the most requests for. 🙂
I have changed it up a bit over the years, adding some ingredients and taking others away. This is my take on the original recipe:
White Chicken Chili
Ingredients:
- 5-6 cups Great Northern Beans (I used canned beans, drained but not rinsed)
- 2-4 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 12-ounce Beer (I prefer a Lager)
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 medium chopped Onion
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 (4 oz.) can chopped green Chiles
- 1 Pablano Chili, seeded and chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground Cumin (or more to taste)
- 2 teaspoons dried Oregano
- 4 cups of cooked Chicken, cubed or shredded (I like shredded rotisserie chicken)
- Hot Sauce, salt, and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Add the onion and olive oil to a large pot and sauté over medium high heat until soft and translucent. And the garlic and Pablano pepper and cook until tender and the onion just starts to brown.
- Add the chicken, Chilies, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper to the pot and stir.
- Add the beer and increase the heat slightly. Boil until the beer is reduced down and almost all liquid is gone.
- Add the beans, hot sauce, and broth. Bring to a boil, then drop the temperature and simmer for about an hour until thickened. (I usually need 3-4 cups of broth for this method.)
- Alternatively, once the beer cooks down, the mixture can be added to a crockpot before adding the remaining ingredients. Cook on low for two to four hours, although it will keep longer if necessary. (I usually only need to add 2-3 cups of broth to the crock pot unless I am cooking it all day).
- Serve with cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips.
As a fun alternative, a smaller serving of the chili is a great side to go with quesadillas. A great alternative to grilled cheese and soup! 🙂
Do you have a go-to fall food? A great Chili recipe? What is your most requested recipe? Who is your favorite football team (college or NFL)? Please share! 🙂
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