These are the days for White Chicken Chili. The air is crisp and snappy, the sun sets early, and everything in my being craves cozy at every turn.

Coupled with this desire for warmth is a need for simplicity in the kitchen. I want dinner solutions that can be made ahead (or made in a flash), and then served at will in between loads of laundry, wrapping gifts, and trying to address Christmas cards.

I’m telling you, White Chicken Chili is the holiday hero.

As if it couldn’t get any better, this one-pot wonder freezes beautifully, happens to be gluten-free (and dairy-free if you omit the cheese), and can be constructed from grocery store staples.

As with most things, the secret is in the execution, and in this case, an unexpected secret ingredient. To show you exactly what you need to know, I have included a video tutorial below.

I hope you enjoy!

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Ingredients

for the chili…

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 3.5- ounce cans chopped mild green chilies
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 15- oz cans Great Northern beans, drained
2 quarts 8 cups chicken broth
2 pounds cooked chicken, chopped into large chunks
8 ounces Monterrey Jack cheese, grated

for serving…

sour cream
cilantro
grated cheese
tortilla chips

Instructions

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil until hot. Add the onions and 1 teaspoon Kosher salt to the hot oil. Saute until the onions are tender, no longer raw, but not browned. This may take up to 10 minutes, depending on the heat of your pan.
Stir in the garlic, green chilies, cumin, oregano, ground cloves, cayenne pepper, and cook for 2 minutes to allow the garlic to cook and the spices to bloom. Be careful not to allow the garlic to burn.
Add the beans and chicken broth and allow the mixture to come to a boil. Reduce the heat and gently simmer uncovered for 45 minutes. If you are preparing the chili in advance, stop here. Cover the pan and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Right before serving, stir in the chicken and cheese to the chili and mix well. Allow the chicken to heat through and the cheese to melt. Taste for seasoning and add more Kosher salt if needed. You should be able to taste all the flavors, and if you can’t, then add small amounts of salt until you can. The finished product should be well-seasoned, but not salty. Once the chili is finished, the chicken warm and the cheese melted, ladle it into bowls and serve with toppings.

White Chicken Chili