White chicken chili for two.
So, um, I'm from Texas and I don't normally like chili. I know, I know!
I think it's because I like beans so much. Normally, a Texas 'bowl of red' does not contain beans. My Mom doesn't even add beans to her chili.
It could also be because I just don't understand chili without beans...it's a bowl of meat in thick sauce...like, where are the noodles? Or something to eat it with? How do we do this as a society? Please, I need help, hold my hand. This bowl is hot.
Enter white chicken chili for two to save me from a full-on chili existential crisis. It's full of white beans (my all-time fave), green chiles (my one true love), big shreds of chicken in a tangy, creamy sauce that is thin enough to be fully understood as soup and not sauce on a spoon.
Can you double this white chicken chili recipe?
I've doubled this recipe many times to feed my in-laws, and have also doubled it to store in the freezer for a later date. It's fully freeze-able even though it contains sour cream.
Another fun fact about this soup is that my toddler loves it. I buy the MILD green chiles for her, of course, and she seems to love picking out the beans and chicken from the tangy broth (and drinks the broth at the end). Taste the soup before you give it to a kid to make sure it isn't too spicy (and serve it with hot sauce on the table for the adults).
I like to serve this with a small batch of cornbread or crushed blue corn tortilla chips for the top. (I've got big love for blue corn, in case you didn't know...see, I am a real Texan!)
If you're a green chile freak like me, then you have to check out my Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas for Two.
I hope you're loving all the Dinners for Two lately. It's cozy cooking time, and my recipes for Creamy Chicken Pot Pie for Two, Swedish Meatballs for Two, and Chicken Parmesan for Two are on heavy rotation around here!
White Chicken Chili for Two
Small batch chili: finally, chili that doesn't feed a crowd!
Ingredients
- ½ pound boneless, skinless chicken tenders
- 1 ¼ cups chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ small white onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 4-ounce can of MILD chopped green chiles*
- 1 15-ounce can white beans (Great Northern Beans), drained & rinsed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 ounces (~½ cup) full-fat sour cream
- cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- First, add the chicken tenders and chicken stock to a small soup pot (I use a 4-quart pot). Bring to a simmer, turn off heat, cover and let cook all the way through, about 10 minutes. Check to ensure the chicken is done.
- Remove the chicken from the broth (reserve the broth for the soup!), and shred into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
- Wipe out the pan, and then add the oil and turn the heat to medium high.
- Add the diced onion to the pan, and cook while stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle the garlic and oregano on top, and saute for 30 seconds.
- Next, add the green chiles, beans, salt, and pepper. Pour the reserved chicken broth and chicken back into the pan, and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Just before serving, turn off the heat and stir in the sour cream.
- Divide the soup between two bowls, and serve with cilantro, chopped jalapeños, and more sour cream.
Notes
*You can also add 1 chopped jalapeño or serano pepper to the pan with the onion if you want more spice in the soup. I was serving this to a kid, so I left it out.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 372Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 822mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 8gSugar: 4gProtein: 31g
Recipe adapted from Closet Cooking.
Veronica says
A hit! I replaced the sour cream with 1/8 of a block of softened cream cheese (tried a small bowl with sour cream mixed in before finishing the chili on the stove and didn’t care for the tang of the sour cream). It was perfect. Reminds me of the white bean chili I use to order a ton Ruby Tuesday’s years ago. It’s exactly the recipe I’ve been looking for.
Joseph says
Don't forget to rub the dried herbs between palms it releases more flavor and Mexican oregano. has a richer flavor. than Greek or Italian. "Good Eating "
Marilyne says
I made this today. It looked exactly like your picture. And my husband & I both loved it!
I could not find a can of green chiles here so I used a small green chili pepper from the fruits & veggies produce section.
We are big fans of your 'regular' beef chili recipe. It goes on repeat in our house. But now this white chili will go on repeat as well.
Thanks for sharing recipes easy to make (even for French followers!) and delicious :-)
Sally K says
This is so good.