A Very Easy Version of Quick White Chili That Won’t Pale by Comparison

If you go ahead and cook the recipe you are about to read for Quick White Chili, you may feel just a bit bewildered.

As color goes, this chili is far from snow white. But as chili goes, an under-an-hour recipe should fit in sometime in most busy cooks’ schedules. And its color, far from faint, plainly pales by comparison to chilis prepared with browned beef, red beans and dark chili powders.

This chili is both quick and white because it is made from diced boneless chicken breast that is first lightly browned (another confusing description) in olive oil then simmered briefly in a sauce of tomatillos, tomatoes and chicken broth that is spiked with shallots, garlic, canned green chiles and Mexican spices. Five minutes before eating it, add the only ingredient that makes sense here, canned white kidney beans called cannellini, and a shot of lime juice.

Don’t let the long list of topping options throw you off schedule. Just chop up as many as you have time for. Or just serve the chili topped with dollops of sour cream. There’s flavor enough without the works. Do take a few minutes to heat up a few flour tortillas while you are tossing a green salad to go with the chili with the confusing name.

QUICK WHITE CHILI

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced

3 shallots, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 (18-ounce) can tomatillos, drained and cut up

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can tomatoes

1 (10 1/2-ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth

1 (7-ounce) can diced green chiles

1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

2 (15-ounce) cans white kidney beans (cannellini), drained

Juice of 1 lime

Salt, pepper

Chopped red onion, cilantro, jalapeno chiles, tomato, and/or avocado, sour cream, shredded Jack cheese and/or lime wedges, optional

Heat olive oil in large saucepan. Add chicken and cook, stirring often, just until beginning to brown. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.

Add shallots and garlic to pan and saute until tender. Stir in tomatillos, tomatoes with liquid, chicken broth, green chiles, oregano, coriander and cumin. Bring to boil, then immediately reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes.

Return chicken to pan along with drained beans and cook about 5 minutes, just until chicken is cooked through and beans are hot. Add lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Offer chopped red onion, cilantro, jalapeno chiles, tomato and/or avocado, sour cream, shredded Jack cheese and/or lime wedges at table to add to chili as desired. Makes 4 servings.