Ingredients (~6 servings)
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (~2.5 – 3 lbs)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 medium onions, finely chopped (~3 cups)
- 3 yellow bell peppers, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or red pepper flakes)
- 7 cups chicken stock
- 3 cans (15 oz each) cannellini or butter beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups frozen sweetcorn
- Juice of 2 limes
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Render the Chicken Fat
Season the chicken thighs aggressively with salt on both sides. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium-high heat.
Place the chicken skin-side down. Cook undisturbed for ~10-12 minutes; you want the skin to turn deep golden brown and release its yellow fat into the pan. Flip and cook the underside for 2 minutes to seal it, then remove the chicken to a plate.
Sweat the Aromatics
You should have a good amount of rendered fat left in the pot; if it looks dry, add a splash more oil. Add the chopped onions, diced peppers, and a generous pinch of salt.
Lower the heat to medium. Cook for ~12 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the vegetables to soften completely and turn sweet, but not necessarily brown or char.
Stir in the sliced garlic, cumin, oregano, and cayenne. Cook for 60 seconds until the spices smell toasted.
Poach the Chicken
Return the chicken thighs to the pot, nesting them into the vegetables. Pour in the chicken stock.
Bring the liquid to a simmer, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle bubble. Cook for ~25 minutes.
Add the drained white beans and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Thicken and Finish
Remove the chicken thighs from the pot. The meat should pull away from the bone easily. Discard the skin and bones, shred the meat with two forks, and set it aside.
While the chicken is out, use a potato masher or the back of a strong wooden spoon to crush about one-third of the beans directly in the pot. This releases their starch and instantly thickens the broth from a soup consistency to a chili consistency.
Stir in the frozen sweetcorn and the shredded chicken. Cook for ~5 minutes to heat everything through.
Turn off the heat and stir in the lime juice. Taste for seasoning; it will likely need plenty of black pepper and potentially more salt depending on your stock.
White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
Ingredients (~6 servings)
- 6 bone-in ~2.5 – 3 lbs, skin-on chicken thighs
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 medium onions ~3 cups, finely chopped
- 3 yellow bell peppers diced
- 6 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
- 7 cups chicken stock
- 3 cans cannellini or butter beans 15 oz each, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups frozen sweetcorn
- Juice of 2 limes
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Season chicken thighs with salt and sear skin-side down in olive oil until golden, about 10-12 minutes per side.
- Remove chicken and sauté onions, peppers, and garlic with spices in rendered fat for 15 minutes.
- Return chicken to pot, add stock, and simmer for 25 minutes.
- Remove chicken, shred meat, and discard bones.
- Mash one-third of beans to thicken broth.
- Add corn, shredded chicken, and lime juice.
- Cook 5 more minutes and season to taste.
