Sunday Supper 7: White Chicken Chili

Recipe available at Cooking Classy

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Chili is not just a winter time food for me. It's something I love to make when I'm facing a week of limited cooking time, and tons of commitments, and need fuel-food that reheats well to get me through. Those kinds of weeks don't know any seasons, so I've got a spicy sweet potato and turkey chili in my back pocket for just in cases.

These days, of course, my weeks aren't quite as full as they used to be. And with most of life's commitments being in the virtual space cooking time is easier to arrange. But even so, having this tempting and tasty chili in the fridge paid dividends this week. Like all chilis this one improves with fridge time as all the individual flavors merge and marry and the dish overall gets richer and richer. Leftovers got me through more than one "I'm too tired to cook tonight" nights.

Most chilis (mine included) are tomato-based thick soups built on chili powder and (if you like) lots of spice. That's the starting point to which you add your beans and meats and veg. For me, it's Red Kidney Beans, Turkey and Sweet Potatoes and Bell Peppers all the way. This "white chili" is a totally different take on that classic road map, which is why I wanted to try it.

Everything's pretty simple here. Which in my opinion is wholly appropriate for a chili. No fancy or filly techniques or complicated ingredients, just layers of flavor and simmering everything until it all gets friendly.

For a white chili, you'll swap out the tomato base for a chicken broth and sautéed onions base, enriched with pureed beans and Neufchatel cheese (I used cream cheese, because it's what I had). That thickening of the broth is essential to mimic the unctuousness you get by cooking down the tomatoes in a red chili.

One of the many reasons I love my go-to chili is that for the most part it's very good bang for your calorie buck. Tomatoes, turkey, vegetables and beans don't add up to a ton of calories, but do add up to a full stomach. Win win. Of course, thickening this white chili with cream cheese means it's much more calorie dense than its cousin. And, as we know, that's not a value judgment. This chili is still a delicious alternative next time you're feeling like you need a simmering one-pot chili in your life.

In terms of flavor profile, this recipe is definitely reaching for a Mexican or almost taco-y vibe. But I have to say, for my tastes, there's plenty of room to punch up almost every flavor in this chili. Though it is delicious, nothing quite sings out here. I'd like a bit more of a punch. Specifically, I'd recommend goosing up the cumin, paprika and coriander a bit and the cayenne a smidge, too. Next time, I'll also experiment with subbing some of the cream cheese with something with a bit more funk or kick like Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack.

Naturally, all the creamy richness of this chili needs something to cut through it. The recipe recommends a hit of lime juice and cilantro right at the end when you add your cooked chicken, and I concur. I also hit the bowl with both lime and cilantro again after I served myself up a dish. The lime note sitting on top of the bowl gives you that point/counterpoint flavor combination that makes you crave another bite.

MY PREPARATION NOTES

• If you're extra like me and feel a certain way about using rotisserie chicken in a recipe because it's not "home made" I encourage you to let that voice take the night off. I used rotisserie chicken because the chicken I thought I had in the fridge had turned the corner on me. I highly recommend it. Rotisserie chickens have so much in-built flavor and it's the easiest way to get that flavor into your chili.

• As I mentioned above, you have plenty of room to adjust/increase the flavor and spice here. I'd say use the recipe as a baseline and taste and add from there.

• I substituted smoked paprika for the regular paprika. The smoky flavor really came through, so I recommend it!

• I'm a spice-hound and knew this was meant to be a mild chili. I added in one whole diced jalapeno, but could have gone to two.

• I used my immersion blender, rather than a food processor, to puree the beans. It's just easier to clean.

• The recipe doesn't call for it, but I simmered another 10ish minutes after adding the chicken at the end.

• I garnished with avocado and sour cream (along with cilantro and lime). But this rich, velvety textured soup also really wants some crunch in it, too. Tortilla chips or something similar would be killer.

Rating: 3/4

Will I Make It Again: Almost certainly.