Cooking Lesson #571: Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen

How you doin’? A lot of people ask, What's the difference between white chili and regular chili? There's your typical red chili and beans made with beef or pork. On the other hand, white chili versions are made with chicken or turkey instead of beef or pork and without tomatoes but sometimes with beans (usually white beans) and lots of flavor from green chiles. White chili is a relatively new modification with its origins traced to sometime in the 1980s.
 
The modern dish we know as chili, also known as chili con carne (chili with meat), does however appear to have roots in the American West, particularly the State of Texas. An old legend holds that immigrants from the Canary Islands brought a recipe for chili with them when they settled San Antonio in the early 1700s. Another story says the origins may have come from as far away as China or India.
 
Whichever story you want to believe, you will enjoy everything about my slow-cooked White Chicken Chili. It’s made with canned green chiles and is very fragrant as it is cooking, exciting the taste buds and warming the cockles of your heart. Serve with dollop of sour cream, shredded pepper Jack cheese and other good things.
 
Prep time:  30 minutes
Slow Cook time:  5 to 8 hours (depending whether slow-cooked on low or high)
Yield:  6 to 8 servings
 
Ingredients 
For the chicken chili
1-1/2 to 2 pounds chicken thighs
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
12 ounces diced canned green chiles
15 ounces canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
15 ounces canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup diced sweet onion
4 tablespoons minced garlic
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
 
For the toppings (you can use all the toppings or any combination)
1-1/2 cups fried tortilla strips (or corn chips—I prefer Frito brand corn chips)
1/2 cup pepper-jack cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sliced green onion circles
1 avocado, halved and sliced
1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions

1. In a 6-quart slow cooker combine the chicken thighs, chicken stock, green chiles, beans, onion, garlic, cumin and oregano.
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Cover and cook on low heat for 7- to 8-hours or on high heat for 5 to 6 hours.
4. Remove the chicken thighs from the slow cooker and remove the skin and bones and shred the meat using two forks. Discard the bones and skin.
5. Return the chicken thigh meat to the slow cooker and add the cilantro and lime juice.
6.  Adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
7. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the tortilla strips, cilantro, sour cream, green onions, avocado and lime; serve hot.

ChefSecret:  I prefer to purchase whole chicken thighs. Cooking thighs with the skin and the bones adds more flavor to the chili. While this recipe specifically calls out a slow cooker, you can use an Instant Pot set to slow-cook and set the timer accordingly.

Quip of the Day: “The lady in Walgreens is looking at me like she has never seen a man put on deodorant and put it back on the shelf.”
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and drink responsibly. 

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