What’s better than a giant pot of chili to eat all cozied up on a winter night, or better yet, on football game day? Meal prepping white bean chicken chili is one of my favorite winter meals because it’s healthier and lighter than regular chili yet it’s PACKED with flavor. I love to slow-cook my chicken chili so the chicken pulls apart into perfect tender pieces and soaks up the spices you’ve added to the chili.
Make a fun chili bar full of toppings so your crew can customize their chili! I’ve listed some fun ideas in The Ingredients section below!
TIP: don’t have time to slow cook chicken? Check out the recipe below!
My STEP-BY-STEP VIDEO below will help guide you through the recipe. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for recipe videos every week!
Makes: 4 large portions
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours
Total time: 2 hours 20 minutes
The Ingredients
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
2, 15.5 ounce cans cannellini beans, drained
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
¾ cup sweet corn (frozen or fresh)
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2, 4 ounce cans mild diced green chiles
3 tablespoons masa flour (if you can’t find masa flour, grind corn tortillas in a food processor to a powder!)
1/3 cup water
1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ lime, juiced
6 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste
Optional: 1/8 teaspoon cayenne (if you like a little back heat!)
Topping ideas: avocado, fresh cilantro or parsley, lime wedges, sour cream, jalapeños, shredded cheddar cheese or queso fresco, scallions or chives, crispy corn tortillas strips (steps below!)
The Steps
In a 4-quart dutch oven (my favorite option!), large stock pot, or crockpot, sweat onion and garlic in 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes.
Add green chiles, beans, corn, smoked paprika, chili powder, lime juice, and cayenne (optional). Stir until combined. Add chicken broth and a dash of salt, and stir in.
In a small bowl, combine masa flour with water. Add slurry to soup, and stir in.
For the chicken: In a large skillet pan with a few tablespoons of olive oil over high heat, add chicken thighs and sear each side for 3 minutes. Add seared chicken thighs to soup, making sure all chicken is completely submerged in liquid.
Cover and let soup simmer on low for 90 minutes.
TIP: if you don’t have time to slow-cook chicken, sear chicken thighs in a pan for 5-6 minutes per side. Time may vary based on how crowded your pan is and how thick your chicken thighs are! Test your chicken to make sure the internal temp of the thickest thigh is at least 165 degrees!
After 90 minutes, remove chicken from soup with tongs and shred chicken with a fork and knife. Add chicken back into soup and stir. Serve with toppings of your choice (listed above!).
For crispy corn tortilla strips: preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice 3-4 corn tortillas into strips and bake for 10 minutes, tossing halfway through. Let strips cool for 10 minutes for extra crispy strips!
The Steps with Video
My STEP-BY-STEP VIDEO below will help guide you through the recipe. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for recipe videos every week!
