This chicken chili is chock-full of fiber and veggies with enough leafy greens to make you ask yourself, “Is it even possible to fit more in this chili?” Not only is it nutritious, but it’s also delicious–a win-win in my book!
Jump to RecipeWhite bean chicken chili is one of my favorite chili combinations of all time. So why not write my own version?
To get started, we’ve got to wash and chop all of our veggies. Dice your onion and mince your garlic. We’re also going to separate the kale leaves from their ribs. To do this, I like to hold the rib in my left hand with the leaves folded in my right hand. With my fingers gripping the rib right next to the leaves, I just tear the leaves off. It doesn’t need to be perfect, but the ribs will take longer to cook than the leaves. Once you’ve separated the kale leaves from the ribs, roughly chop the leaves. I like to chop the ribs into small pieces, kind of like I would chop celery.
Things move pretty quickly once you actually start cooking this recipe, so it’s a good idea to have as much prepared ahead of time as possible. After chopping all the veggies, I like to rinse my canned corn and white beans. That way, they’re all ready to go when needed! I also measure out all the seasonings into a small bowl so those are ready too. Preparation is key in cooking!
Once everything is all ready, it’s time to get cooking! We’re going to start by searing the chicken breasts in a stockpot. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat and sear each side of your chicken breasts until browned, about 5 minutes. To make sure your chicken is cooked through, use a kitchen thermometer to make sure your chicken is 165 degrees Fahrenheit inside. Once your chicken is cooked, remove it from the pot and set aside to cool a bit. This will make shredding it easier.
Into your now empty stockpot, add your minced garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Then, add in your onion and kale ribs and saute them until the onion becomes translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
Once your onion and kale ribs are slightly softened, add in the flour and seasonings (except red pepper flakes). Stir until everything is coated in the flour-seasoning mixture.
Then, add in your chicken stock and corn and bring the mixture up to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered for about 30-45 minutes. Stir frequently and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to get all the little brown bits that cling to the bottom.
While your chili is simmering, shred your now cooled chicken breasts with a fork (or two).
While your chili is still simmering, get your garnishes ready to go. They’re technically optional, but I HIGHLY recommend the radish, fresh parsley, and parmesan as garnishes. They just add an extra depth of flavor to the recipe.
Once the liquid in your chili has reduced by about half, add in the shredded chicken, white beans, kale leaves, and red pepper flakes and simmer for another 10 minutes. The kale wilts down a LOT, trust me. To make things easier, I generally add it in handfuls, let it wilt down a bit, and then add more, and repeat until it’s all in there.
Every time, I wonder if this will be the time I’ve gone too far with the leafy greens, but again, it wilts down a TON.
See what I mean?! Crazy! Anyway, after your 10 minutes are up your chili is ready to eat! Garnish with your sliced radish, fresh parsley, and grated parmesan cheese and enjoy!
If you liked this recipe, please be sure to share it with your friends and family. You can also leave me a review in the comments below! You can also tag me on social media with your soup creation at @HookomOnHealth, or use the hashtag #HookomOnHealth. I’d love to see how you’re enjoying this recipe!
White Bean Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 lb chicken breasts raw
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 bunch kale ribs and leaves separated and chopped (about 6 cups)
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp fennel
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 can corn drained and rinsed
- 2 cans cannellini or other white beans drained and rinsed
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Garnish
- 4-6 small radishes thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat vegetable oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add chicken breasts and sear until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Once chicken breasts are cooked, place on a plate and set aside to cool.
- Add garlic to stockpot and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add onion and kale ribs and saute until onion is translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add flour, chili powder, ground cumin, fennel, salt, dried oregano, and ground black pepper and stir to coat.
- Add chicken stock and corn and bring mixture to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for 30-45 minutes or until liquid is reduced by about half and chili has thickened, stirring frequently.
- While chili is simmering, shred chicken breasts with a fork.
- Add shredded chicken, white beans, kale leaves, and red pepper flakes and simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Remove from heat, and serve garnished with sliced radish, fresh parsley, and grated parmesan cheese.
Video
Notes
- To save time you can purchase and use pre-chopped kale.
- ~1.5 cups of frozen corn can be used instead of the canned, if desired.
- Ground chicken, chicken thighs, or shredded rotisserie chicken can be used instead of chicken breasts, if desired.
- Swiss chard, collard greens, or other leafy greens can be used instead of kale, if desired.