Crock-Pot White Chili

Crock-pot white chili is a favorite in our family.  It’s the perfect antidote to cold winter days when sunlight fades and temperatures dip.  Shredded chicken gives the finished chili an authentic Tex-Mex appearance and texture, and makes it taste deeply chicken-y.  This easy- to-prepare dish makes plenty of leftovers, and would be great to serve at a football party.

I have a confession right up front.  I am a rebel when it comes to cooking.  I rarely follow a recipe exactly.  That’s why I prefer cooking to baking.

In that spirit, if you rebel while making crock-pot white chili, good for you.  Make it as hot or mild as you wish.  Use any combination of beans that you like, varying the size. You should play around with this recipe, and make it uniquely your own.  If you come up with a great variation on this crock-pot white chili, let us know because we want to try it out!

In the recipe below, we suggest caramelizing the onion and poblano mixture because it creates a ton of flavor.  See the golden brown color in the onions below?  That’s what you’re going for.  And don’t skip the lime.  It brightens the flavor of the chili immensely.

The chili will look like the photo below before you add the cream cheese.  It looks like regular white chili, with the wonderful shredded chicken texture.  If you don’t want to add the cream cheese, don’t.  At this stage, the chili is lean and packed with protein. A word of advice though, don’t use non- or low-fat cream cheese, because it will result in a thin chili, and nobody likes thin chili!

Let the cream cheese melt into the chili, then stir it in.  The final product will look deliciously creamy and rich.

Print

Crock-Pot White Chili

A favorite in our family, this creamy and rich chili recipe has a Tex-Mex appearance with a hint of lime.  It's perfect on cold winter days or your weekend football party.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Author: Recipe courtesy of Jim Satterwhite, contributor to New England Home and Garden

Ingredients

• 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 tbs chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper omit or increase as desired
• 3 cloves of finely diced garlic
• 1 cup yellow or white onion, finely diced (about one medium onion)
• 1 poblano chili, finely diced (optional, if you can find one at your market)
• 2 tbs olive oil (for sautéing)
• 2 28 oz cans of Cannellini beans
• 1 15 oz can Great Northern beans
• 2 4 oz cans diced green chilies
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• Juice of 1-2 limes depending on your taste
• 4 oz cream cheese (half a brick)

Garnishes

• Shredded cheeses such as cheddar, jack, or pepper jack
• Chopped green onion
• Chopped cilantro
• Tortilla chips

Method

1. Layer chicken breasts in the bottom of a medium or large crock-pot. Add water.
2. Combine chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cayenne, and sprinkle over chicken.
3. Cover and cook on low setting for 4 hours. After 4 hours shred the chicken with a fork.
4. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in 12″ non-stick skillet. Saute the onion and poblano over medium heat until both are caramelized. Add the minced garlic at the end and continue cooking 3 minutes. Add to the crock-pot with the shredded chicken.
5. Drain all beans and add to chicken.
6. Add stock. Then add lime juice a little at a time until you get the desired flavor. Cover and continue to cook on low setting for 1 hour.
7. Add cream cheese. Allow it to melt, then gently stir it in. As you stir, the the chicken will break down and the chili will become creamy. Adjust seasonings, adding add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Serve hot with any or all of the garnishes.

Recipe Notes

Enjoy with your favorite microbrew beer or red wine.

Serves 8-12.