Days Off White Chicken Chili
This is a smooth and delicious soup that is perfect for fall or winter. I found the recipe in a magazine and made it. I made numerous mistakes and alterations and came up with this delight! The recipe turned into a completely different version than what I had originally found in the magazine.
This is a smooth and delicious soup that is perfect for fall or winter. I found the recipe in a magazine and made it. I made numerous mistakes and alterations and came up with this delight! The recipe turned into a completely different version than what I had originally found in the magazine.
- Carbohydrate 26.043754375 g
- Cholesterol 94.7275 mg
- Fat 12.687225625 g
- Fiber 6.43737513317913 g
- Protein 41.3121959375 g
- Saturated Fat 6.6626460625 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (451g)
- Sodium 532.30603125 mg
- Sugar 19.6063792418209 g
- Trans Fat 1.0605669375 g
- Calories 385 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Spray baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray and place chicken on sheet. Bake chicken in oven until cooked through. Remove from oven and dice into 1/2 in. cubes.
- In a medium sized stock pot, heat oil over high heat. Add jalapeno and cook 3 minutes, stirring often.
- Add cumin, green chilis, milk, and northern beans. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Puree with hand blender (or transfer to regular blender) until smooth and creamy.
- Add chicken, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir in the cheddar and serve immediately.
Traditional red chili relies on tomatoes and chili powders for its acid and heat profile, whereas this pale variation builds its character from dairy fats and mild peppers. Roasting the poultry beforehand at 375 degrees transforms the protein surface through the Maillard reaction, developing savory depth before the meat ever touches the pot. Ground cumin contains volatile oils that bloom instantly when heated in olive oil alongside minced jalapeños, releasing aromatic compounds that fat molecules capture and distribute throughout the base.
Pureeing northern beans directly into the milk creates a starch-thickened emulsion without requiring roux or cornstarch slurries. Amylose molecules released from the bean interiors swell when simmered for 10 minutes, trapping liquid to form a velvety suspension. This starch network prevents the dairy from curdling under heat while providing enough body to coat the back of a spoon. Using a hand immersion blender directly in the stockpot allows precise control over the final texture, letting you target whole beans while leaving diced chilis intact.
Shredding fresh cheddar cheese directly into the pot at the final stage introduces emulsifying salts that integrate the milk proteins smoothly into the broth. Pre-shredded bagged varieties often contain cellulose powders that create a grainy texture upon melting, so grating a block by hand yields superior results. Stir the cheese off direct high heat to prevent the milk solids from separating from their fats.
Seasoning with salt and black pepper at the very end is critical because the dairy solids and beans mute sodium perception. Adjust seasoning incrementally after the cheese has fully dissolved to accurately gauge the final flavor balance.
