For years now, my mom has been making a white chili instead of the heartier red chili with beef and kidney beans, etc. as a family comfort food. Aside from comfort, it's also been an easy go-to dish to feed a large gathering, and since Mom and I have been hosting annual Oscar parties for over a decade, mom's chicken chili has been a welcome respite from the February cold.
Not to say that where I grew up in northern California and living the last few years in San Francisco, are essentially "wintery" but they can be rainy and it's not hard to conjure up a slight chill during months when other states are witnessing much harsher conditions.
Now that I live in New York, it was our first Oscar party on separate coasts and it was my first time making the Oscar chili in a place that gets legitimately cold. It came out a little watery because I used too much chicken broth, but upon sharing notes with Mom she assured me that hers never turns out the same but is always good. I haven't always taken Mom's advice over the years, but when it comes to cooking, she's usually right so I trust her judgement.
There are two tricks to this chili, the first is time. The longer it sits and simmers, the better depth of flavor you'll get out of it. I thought I would boil the chicken overnight and shred it the night before but the frozen chicken breasts got the better of me and weren't thawed completely. Nevertheless I had five hours before my three guests arrived for my Oscar-viewing party and it was plenty of time to acquire the flavor I remember coming from Mom's stovetop.
The second trick is: Fritos. It may sound strange, but they are not to be forgotten. Unless of course there's a corn or gluten allergy and in that case, my sincere apologies to your taste buds.
Legend has it that Dad could not resist eating just ordinary chicken chili and loaded his bowl with the usual suspect toppings: cheese, sour cream, salsa, and green onions and as he was walking down the line he poured a bunch of Fritos from the snack cupboard on top of his chili. They became an instant hit, as he persuaded a bunch of guests to do the same, and crunchy, salty Fritos fast became the cornerstone of our chicken chili repertoire. Some eat it with Fritos on the bottom, others with Fritos on top so they don't lose their crunch; all of us have different ways of dressing the chili, so feel free to find your own way.
Keep reading after the jump, you won't be disappointed in this comfort food.
Not to say that where I grew up in northern California and living the last few years in San Francisco, are essentially "wintery" but they can be rainy and it's not hard to conjure up a slight chill during months when other states are witnessing much harsher conditions.
Now that I live in New York, it was our first Oscar party on separate coasts and it was my first time making the Oscar chili in a place that gets legitimately cold. It came out a little watery because I used too much chicken broth, but upon sharing notes with Mom she assured me that hers never turns out the same but is always good. I haven't always taken Mom's advice over the years, but when it comes to cooking, she's usually right so I trust her judgement.
There are two tricks to this chili, the first is time. The longer it sits and simmers, the better depth of flavor you'll get out of it. I thought I would boil the chicken overnight and shred it the night before but the frozen chicken breasts got the better of me and weren't thawed completely. Nevertheless I had five hours before my three guests arrived for my Oscar-viewing party and it was plenty of time to acquire the flavor I remember coming from Mom's stovetop.
The second trick is: Fritos. It may sound strange, but they are not to be forgotten. Unless of course there's a corn or gluten allergy and in that case, my sincere apologies to your taste buds.
Legend has it that Dad could not resist eating just ordinary chicken chili and loaded his bowl with the usual suspect toppings: cheese, sour cream, salsa, and green onions and as he was walking down the line he poured a bunch of Fritos from the snack cupboard on top of his chili. They became an instant hit, as he persuaded a bunch of guests to do the same, and crunchy, salty Fritos fast became the cornerstone of our chicken chili repertoire. Some eat it with Fritos on the bottom, others with Fritos on top so they don't lose their crunch; all of us have different ways of dressing the chili, so feel free to find your own way.
Keep reading after the jump, you won't be disappointed in this comfort food.
MOMMA-KNOWS-BEST CHICKEN CHILI
Prep Time: ~20-25 mins
Cook Time: 3+ hours
Serves: 8-10 hungry people, but can always be adjusted for a smaller group. (For example, I only had four people and I used: 2 chicken breasts, 3 regular cans of beans, 1 small onion, 3 garlic cloves, 2 bouillons and 1 can of chiles.)
Ingredients
6 Large chicken breasts
(You can use already cooked chicken, lessening the prep time by about 20 minutes)
1 Large Can/Box of Chicken Broth
2-4 Chicken Bouillon Cubes
1 Large Can Great Northern Beans (drained)
3 Reg Cans of Navy Beans (drained)
1 Large White or Yellow Onion, diced
4 Cloves Garlic, chopped
2 Small Cans (4oz. each) Mild Green Chiles
4 Tb. Cooking Oil
2 tsp. Ground Cumin
2 tsp. Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp. Ground Red Pepper
Additional Toppings (Optional)
Sour Cream
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Chopped Scallions/Green Onions
Fritos Corn Chips
Salsa
Guacamole/Sliced Avocado
Step-By-Step Instructions
1. Boil thawed chicken breasts in the broth with bouillon cubes for about 15-20 minutes until plump. To check for doneness, cut chicken open and take out of the pot once you don't see any pink inside. Once cooked, take chicken out of the saved broth and let it cool in a bowl for a few minutes until you can shred with your hands.
2. Stick shredded chicken back in the broth. If you have a large stock pot please use it now for the rest of the ingredients or transfer everything to a crock pot. (I used a crock pot.)
3. Heat oil in a frying pan until hot. Add the onions, garlic, and chiles and saute until onions are translucent and tender but not burned. Add these ingredients to your large pot.
4. Add the drained beans and the spices.
5.Heat to boiling and then turn down to low and cook for at least three hours. (*For use in crock pot, I cooked it on high for one hour, then on low for 3 hours and it turned out great.)
6. Serve immediately with additional toppings of your choice.
Prep Time: ~20-25 mins
Cook Time: 3+ hours
Serves: 8-10 hungry people, but can always be adjusted for a smaller group. (For example, I only had four people and I used: 2 chicken breasts, 3 regular cans of beans, 1 small onion, 3 garlic cloves, 2 bouillons and 1 can of chiles.)
Ingredients
6 Large chicken breasts
(You can use already cooked chicken, lessening the prep time by about 20 minutes)
1 Large Can/Box of Chicken Broth
2-4 Chicken Bouillon Cubes
1 Large Can Great Northern Beans (drained)
3 Reg Cans of Navy Beans (drained)
1 Large White or Yellow Onion, diced
4 Cloves Garlic, chopped
2 Small Cans (4oz. each) Mild Green Chiles
4 Tb. Cooking Oil
2 tsp. Ground Cumin
2 tsp. Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp. Ground Red Pepper
Additional Toppings (Optional)
Sour Cream
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Chopped Scallions/Green Onions
Fritos Corn Chips
Salsa
Guacamole/Sliced Avocado
Step-By-Step Instructions
1. Boil thawed chicken breasts in the broth with bouillon cubes for about 15-20 minutes until plump. To check for doneness, cut chicken open and take out of the pot once you don't see any pink inside. Once cooked, take chicken out of the saved broth and let it cool in a bowl for a few minutes until you can shred with your hands.
2. Stick shredded chicken back in the broth. If you have a large stock pot please use it now for the rest of the ingredients or transfer everything to a crock pot. (I used a crock pot.)
3. Heat oil in a frying pan until hot. Add the onions, garlic, and chiles and saute until onions are translucent and tender but not burned. Add these ingredients to your large pot.
4. Add the drained beans and the spices.
5.Heat to boiling and then turn down to low and cook for at least three hours. (*For use in crock pot, I cooked it on high for one hour, then on low for 3 hours and it turned out great.)
6. Serve immediately with additional toppings of your choice.
Drool Tips:
*Already cooked/leftover chicken can be used in place of raw meat, it will save you about 20 minutes in prep.
* For an added treat, you can serve in bread bowls, but I found that letting your guests add their own toppings and serving alongside cornbread works too!
* You can stick leftovers in the fridge for up to a week to reheat on the stove or microwave but it also freezes well, just leave out the extra toppings while freezing and thaw before reheating to bring it up to temperature evenly.
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