Melissa Hemsley’s White Chicken Chilli
Melissa Hemsley's chicken and bean chilli is a warming, hearty dish packed with nutritious ingredients. Finish with your favourite toppings, from avocado to jalapeños.
Introduction
A tomato-less chilli, hence the name ‘white chilli’. I use yellow peppers here to keep the chilli ‘white’ but use whatever colour you can find. I like to serve the toppings separately and let everyone help themselves. In terms of the beans, use whatever white beans you like, such as cannellini or butter beans. I find sweetcorn is always worth keeping in the freezer, but if you’ve got tinned sweetcorn, then drain, rinse and add it right at the end.
Ingredients
| 4 | bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs |
| 2 tbsp | olive oil, plus extra if needed |
| 2 | onions, finely chopped |
| 2 | yellow peppers, diced |
| 4 | garlic cloves, finely sliced |
| 2 tsp | ground cumin |
| 1 tsp | dried oregano |
| ¼ tsp | cayenne pepper or chilli flakes, to taste |
| 1.2 litres | vegetable or chicken stock |
| 2 x 400g tins of | white beans, drained and rinsed |
| 200g | frozen sweetcorn |
| Juice of | 1 lime, plus a little zest if you like |
| sea salt and black pepper | |
| Optional Toppings: | |
|---|---|
| soured cream or yoghurt | |
| fresh coriander and/or spring onions, sliced | |
| sliced avocado | |
| sliced radishes or cucumber | |
| lime wedges | |
| jarred jalapeño slices or chilli flakes |
Method
Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt. Heat the olive oil in a large pot and, once warm, add the chicken thighs, skin-side down. Cook for 10–12 minutes over a medium-high heat until very well browned, then turn and cook on the other side for 2–3 minutes. Lift out of the pot and set aside on a large plate. The chicken should have given out plenty of fat but if not, add a splash of olive oil to the pot and, once warm, add the onions, peppers and a pinch of salt and pepper. Fry for about 12 minutes over a medium heat until very soft, stirring every so often. Add the garlic, fry for a minute, then add the cumin, oregano and cayenne or chilli flakes and fry for 2 minutes, stirring regularly.
Return the chicken thighs to the pot and pour in the stock. Simmer for 25 minutes, then add the beans and continue to cook for another 10 minutes.
Remove the chicken thighs once cooked through and take the meat off the bones and shred. Set aside, discarding the chicken skin if you wish. Use a potato masher or the back of your wooden spoon to crush roughly a third of the beans (this will help thicken the chilli).
Add the frozen sweetcorn, then cook for 5 minutes or so until tender. Remove from the heat, add the chicken, lime juice, plus a little zest if you like, and taste for seasoning.
Ladle into bowls and finish with the toppings you like.
Reviews
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