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White Chicken Chilli with White Chocolate and Lime

white chicken chilli

Last Friday, I had huge baking plans for the weekend. I was going to make panettone, bake cookies, replenish my blog back up with new recipes and photos and get a head start with the cooking and photography for this chilli for the Improv Cooking Challenge this month. I had done the shopping, I was pumped and totally organised.

chiles

Saturday morning rolls around and I cannot move. I cannot walk two steps to my bathroom let alone climb down a flight of stairs. UGH! I was so mad. This is the reality of my Rheumatoid Arthritis; stuff like this happens and I have no control. Goes to show that my body has its own mind and what I plan doesn’t always pan out. There is no point in getting frustrated, mad or anything else. I just take it as a day or two days where I do nothing but ice my knee, take pain medicine and watch TV.

white chicken chilli

So, last Saturday, my youngest daughter took care of me since my husband was working. She made me breakfast, got me lunch, snacks and tea. All the while keeping me company as we watched bad Christmas TV. When my husband came home he ordered pizza for dinner. 

Sunday rolled around and I still can’t move. My husband and I had to miss our weekly date at our favourite coffee shop for Sunday coffee. Instead, I lay in bed again and watched football. Dinner was takeaway again. 

white chicken chilli

I didn’t set a foot downstairs the entire weekend. Monday morning, I could hobble a bit so I limped downstairs to pack lunches and get breakfast. Oh, the horror! The state of my kitchen, the family room, the breakfast table! Every knife from my knife block was in the sink along with every spoon and glass! It was horrible. Now, my husband is very good with the dishes and cleaning up for me, but he’s not good with washing up knives, serving spoons and miscellaneous bits and bobs. Those bits and bobs filled my sink. I asked him why my knife block was empty and he claimed that he was having problems cutting the rotisserie chicken and apparently, used every knife to find one that worked! Hmmmmm, rotisserie chicken is usually so tender you don’t even need a knife. Oh, well.

So, this weekend, I went gluten free because this pain in my knee and the more crushing pain of seeing my kitchen in such a state, needs to stop. I have been going a bit overboard with my gluten intake lately and I think it is bringing on the flare ups regularly and more frequently. 

white chicken chilli

I had planned to make this White Chicken Chilli as soon as I found out the Improv Cooking Challenge this month was white chocolate and lime. I did have a short list of dessert ideas too, but a weekend of eating crappy takeout was all the motivation I needed to make a decent dinner for Monday night.

A plus for me is that this chilli is gluten free and absolutely delicious.  It, also fulfils the Monday Night Football requirements; chilli, chips and sour cream 🙂

white chicken chilli

The Improv Cooking Challenge is a monthly challenge hosted by Kristen Baker of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker. Every month we’re given two ingredients/combinations and we come up with a recipe that uses both the ingredients. This month it is white chocolate and lime; a wonderful pairing.

This White Chicken Chilli with White Chocolate and Lime is a variation on the Cooks Illustrated white chicken chilli recipe. Of course, you have to pay mega bucks to subscribe to their site to get the recipe and then have the whole day to prepare it the way they want you to. This is easier, has white chocolate and lime and tastes just as good.

white chicken chilli

Save Print
White Chicken Chilli

Serving size: 8

Calories: 1118

Fat: 60g

A delicious white chilli made with chicken, chiles, white beans, white chocolate and lime.
Ingredients
Shredded Chicken and Broth
  • 1 4-5 pound/2kg, whole chicken
  • 10 cups/2.4L water
  • 1 onion, quartered
  • 3 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • tops of the anaheim and poblano peppers
White Chicken Chilli
  • shredded chicken
  • 6 cups/1.4L broth
  • 6 Anaheim peppers, roughly chopped
  • 5 Poblano peppers, roughly chopped
  • 4 cups/3 cans organic white beans (I used organic northern beans)
  • 1 jalapeño, optional
  • 1 large onion, roughly chopped
  • 5 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 4-8 tablespoons white chocolate chips
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 5 limes
  • handful cilantro
  • salt
  • tortilla chips for serving along side
  • sour cream for topping
Instructions
  1. Start by making the broth for the chilli.
  2. Place the whole or pieces of chicken in a big pot, cover with water, add the onion, carrots, garlic and pepper tops and bring to boil.
  3. Cover and simmer until chicken is tender.
  4. I use my pressure cooker to make the broth, it takes 20 minutes.
  5. Follow your pressure cooker instructions.
  6. Once the chicken is cooked, lift out of the broth and allow to cool before deboning.
  7. Strain the broth and put aside.
  8. You should have about 8 cups of broth.
  9. Using a food processor, finely chop the anaheim chiles, poblano chiles and the onions.
  10. Don't puree, you want some texture.
  11. Once each of the peppers are chopped, add them to a large pot with the olive oil and sauté.
  12. Add the garlic and sauté a minute or two, till fragrant.
  13. Add the cumin and coriander, mix well.
  14. You want the peppers and onion soft but not browned.
  15. Add 6 cups of broth and bring to a simmer.
  16. Add the beans and simmer for about 5 minutes.
  17. Take out 2 cups of the mixture and puree, carefully, in the food processor.
  18. Add back into the chilli to thicken a bit.
  19. Add the shredded chicken and heat through.
  20. Add more broth or water if needed to loosen up the chilli (I usually add another cup or so of broth)
  21. Check for salt and spice and season accordingly.
  22. You can add the jalapeño if you don't feel the chilli is hot enough or add hot sauce on the side.
  23. Start by adding 4 tablespoons of the white chocolate chips.
  24. Stir them through and allow them to melt and blend in.
  25. Check the sweetness.
  26. If you don't taste it, add by tablespoons until it suits you.
  27. I added the whole 8 tablespoons and it had a nice hint of sweet flavour.
  28. Turn off the heat and then add the juice of 3 limes.
  29. Add the chopped cilantro and mix through.
  30. Taste to see if the balance of sweet and tart is to your liking.
  31. You don't need to add too much lime juice to the pot but allow extra lime to be served along side.
  32. The lime juice is more effective added right before eating.
  33. Serve in bowls with extra lime, a dollop of sour cream, extra cilantro and tortilla chips for dipping and crushing into the chilli.
Notes
The spice level of the chilli can be controlled by removing ribs and seeds from the chiles, especially the jalapeno and anaheim. I didn't use the jalapeño because my chilli was quite spicy with just the poblano and anaheim chiles. The consistency of the chilli is up to you. I like to make ours a little loose so when we add our tortilla chips, they have something to soak into. But if you like your chilli thick and scoop able, just don't add any extra broth or water. Now, some might say that the chicken is probably not worth using after boiling, but here, the flavours are so strong that its just a texture and bulk thing. You can always use poached chicken breast or roasted chicken breast and chicken broth. I have made it both ways with very little difference in flavour.
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white chicken chilli

 Only a few more days till Christmas! Hope you guys are all ready. I am going to be hosting a dinner, not a Christmas celebration, probably more like Festivus 🙂 , for my friend’s family. It is also a bit of a bittersweet holiday for me this year because my nephew is getting married and I won’t be there 🙁 . I was 15 when he was born and I would get up when he would cry, always in the dead of night, and fetch him for my sister so she could nurse him. He would then fall asleep with me. I am very close to both my nephews and I am beyond thrilled for his big day but very sad I won’t be there. But he called me yesterday before heading off to Pakistan for his wedding and it took everything I had to not break down on the phone. Tears will pour come Monday when he is officially married.

Please check out my fellow Challengers below and their delicious contributions.

I would like to wish all my readers and friends a very Happy Christmas! I hope you enjoy your time with family and friends and may all the blessings of this season be with you all. 

Nazneen xx


Comments

  1. You may be jealous of my passionfruit, but what I would give to get my hands on your chillis! I grew habaneros for the first time this year and LOVE them! So very hot, but so very very tasty! I would never, ever have thought to make white chocolate and lime into chilli, so you get extra points for originality 😉 xxx
    Jas@AbsolutelyJas recently posted..Roadside FruitMy Profile

  2. What a great recipe!
    I can honestly say that I have never seen anything before like it and I am dying to try it for myself.
    Sorry that you have been unwell, I would have died coming dowstairs to a mess when I felt so poorly :/
    Look after yourself.

    Merry Christmas, I hope you had a wonderful day.
    GourmetGetaways recently posted..Element Bar Coffs HarbourMy Profile

  3. Wow, what a unique dish Nazneen! I’ve never heard of white chocolate in a chicken dish, but I can see why it’d work with the lime and the other gorgeous spices. Beautiful dish. Sorry that you’ve been in so much pain, I do hope that your flare-up dies down soon. Thinking of you… and yes, I relate to the kitchen nightmare when away for a while. Men and kitchens are quite a hilarious combination! xx
    laurasmess recently posted..Fresh Egg Noodles with Coriander, Chilli and Toasted Peanuts (with Hippy Vic)My Profile

    • Thank you Laura, I am quite well now. I can’t afford to me out too long, I can’t handle the mess!

  6. What a earthy and comforting dish…
    my asian licking would lovin this kicking dish
    Merry christmas and happy holidays, God blessed you all the way!!!
    btw, how are you now??? i hope you’ll getting well then….

  9. There are just some times when RA or other chronic pain conditions are just so darn inconvenient. Wouldn’t it be just perfect if we could take a holiday from our chronic pain the way others go on a holiday away from work? Until then we can ponder over your white chicken chili. Love the addition of the limes! Take Care, BAM
    Bam’s Kitchen recently posted..Blueberry Buckle Almond TartsMy Profile

  11. Terribly sorry to read that you were in such pain, Nazneen. How nice that your daughter came to your aid, as did your husband. I hope going GF will give you some relief.
    This chili sounds wonderful and I had a laugh about not having a day to spend following a Cooks’ Illustrated recipe. They do like to complicate matters, don’t they I hope you’re feeling better now. May you and yours have a wonderful Festivus celebration and a very Happy New Year!.
    ChgoJohn recently posted..Turkey RisottoMy Profile

  13. OH myy, poor you, hope you are feeling better girl. The pain seems bad, but so so glad your kids are saviors. Take it easy, don’t stress and relax.
    This chili does look so good and quite comforting. I could so see myself loving this, very unique recipe and seriously that chocolate must be heaven in the recipe.
    Anyways, take care sweety and Have a Great Holiday.

    • Thank you, John! I didn’t mean to cause so much attention to myself, I’m so used to the pain that I just talk about it matter of factly!

    • Thanks Francesca! No, actually I didn’t even think of mole! I usually add a few chocolate chips to my red chilli so I just did the same here with white choc chips 🙂 Worked out quite well!

  18. I am so impressed that you managed a savory recipe for this month’s challenge. I am gluten free because of an auto-immune disease. I hope you find yourself back to 100% soon.

  19. I am so sorry about the pain you’ve gone through this past week *get well kisses* If you get bored, you know u can always Tango me 🙂 unfortunately for me, I’ve got loads of spare time LOL. That looks like the most beautiful chilli I’ve ever seen. I would love to try that. I remember seeing an episode of the Barefoot Contessa where she made a white chicken chilli and I always wanted to try making it after that, but never got around to it. Anyway, this takes it to a higher level. The white chocolate and lime elevate to something super exotic.
    *kisses* H
    Heavenly recently posted..All I Want for Christmas…My Profile

    • Thank you Balvinder! I’m going to try. It’s hard for me because I don’t have an allergic reaction so I can never stick to it. I will try though xx

  23. I wish you good health in 2014, Nazneen! It’s wonderful to see all these creative dishes you produce. And congrats to your nephew on his upcoming wedding! I bet he surely knows how deeply you feel for him and that he’s in your thoughts even if you can’t be there in person.
    Monica recently posted..Chocolate peppermint patty cakeMy Profile

    • Thank you Melody! I know it’s a strange addition but I always add chocolate or brown sugar to my red chilli so I decided to do the same here. It turned out well and I like the sweet with the spice and the tang of the lime. I’ve been GF before, not my fave time but it’s tolerable!

    • Thanks Lea Ann! I am doing better thank you. I’ll be baking tomorrow I guess! I really like white chilli and this one has great flavour and I like the hint of sweetness against the spice. Hope you try it!

  28. Your photos are beautiful, Nazneen. I’m so sorry to hear you had such an awful weekend and your arthritis is terribly debilitating. I’m glad you were well nursed but I can just picture the mess – the exact same thing would have happened here. No one in this family has a tidy gene except for me! I should have known when I went to meet my future husband’s parents and saw the lack of order and kitchen chaos that I wasn’t going to be marrying someone with great organisational skills! I would definitely agree that going GF would be very helpful to you. My naturopath says gluten is inflammatory so if you have any condition where inflammation is involved, you should avoid gluten. He does however, say you can have spelt. We have some terrific spelt pastas and breads here in Sydney and perhaps you can buy the same or similar in Denver. Best wishes to you and I hope your condition improves xx
    Hotly Spiced recently posted..Two Decades with SantaMy Profile

    • Thank you so much Charlie! I am moving better today and I appreciate your happy thoughts and best wishes. Thank you also for letting me know your naturopaths thoughts. It’s good to know. I know I do better without gluten, but it’s so hard! I love my flour! I am quite carful of my intake but lately I’ve been taking it easy and it’s showing up now. I just need to be stricter. Have a great Christmas, Charlie. xx

  29. Love what you did with this! Quite creative as it sounds like your family is also. What a bummer that you have to deal with this, but it sounds like you and your family take it all in stride. I hope the gluten free helps. I hate to think of the pain, but your attitude is awesome! I would think that’s half the battle. It is hard not being at family events but I bet there will be lots of great photos and that you will be missed! Take care, Nazneen and have a great holiday!
    Abbe@This is How I Cook recently posted..It’s Snowing Sweets or Family FavoritesMy Profile

    • Thanks Abbe, oh yes, my family can be quite creative when they want to be! They just don’t like cleaning up after!

  30. Nazneen – so sorry to hear of your pain. RA is really debilitating, but I am glad for you that perhaps going GF will help. I do promise to send you some GF dessert recipes I love! This chili is just one example of how good GF meals can be. I bet the white chocolate makes it really silky! What a great combination! I am so glad to hear your family takes such good care of you – I guess, in the end, a few bits and bobs are okay! Hugs from Tucson!
    David recently posted..The Big QuestionMy Profile

    • Thank you so much my dear David! I am moving better now, it’s just something that happens and I am used to it now, but it can be frustrating. I just wanted to share the funny story of all my knives!

  31. So sorry to hear about your health Nazneen! You still manage to put up such great dishes every time. Amazing! This is such a unique dish…the colours and flavours are beautiful! I hope you are feeling better. Festivities without family are always incomplete..I miss everyone back home every single day. Take Care. Hugs:-)
    Sugar et al recently posted..No-Bake 5 Minute Chocolate Marshmallow CracklesMy Profile

    • Thank you Sonali, I am quite well. It was quite frustrating last weekend but I’m moving around better now. I just wanted to share the funny story of my knife block and my husband. It’s a miracle they achieve anything 😉

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