Description
This Mexican Street Corn White Chicken Chili combines tender chicken, sweet corn, and zesty spices for a hearty meal perfect for any occasion. A quick and flavorful dinner that everyone will love!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)
- 3 ears corn on the cob husked (or 2½ cups corn kernels)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 3–4 cloves garlic minced
- 2–3 jalapeños diced (seeded for mild, with seeds for extra heat)
- 1 (15-ounce can) white beans (cannellini or great northern), drained and rinsed
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (plus more for serving)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup mexican crema (or ½ cup crema + ½ cup sour cream)
- 1 (4-ounce block) pepper jack cheese shredded (about 1 cup)
- Juice of 1 lime
- Crumbled Cotija cheese
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Extra grilled corn kernels reserved from above
- Sliced or diced jalapeños
- Lime wedges
- Sprinkle of Tajín seasoning
- Drizzle of adobo sauce (from canned chipotle peppers in adobo)
- Additional chipotle chili powder or smoked paprika
- Tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips
Instructions
- Brush chicken breasts and corn cobs with 1 tablespoon olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill over medium-high heat until chicken is cooked through (5-7 minutes per side) and corn is charred in spots (8-10 minutes), turning occasionally. Let cool, then dice or shred chicken and cut kernels off the cobs (reserve some corn for topping).
- In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and jalapeños; cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add cumin, smoked paprika, chipotle chili powder, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook for 30 seconds to bring out the flavors.
- Add grilled chicken, most of the grilled corn (save a handful for topping), white beans, and chicken broth. Stir to combine. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove pot from heat. Stir in Mexican crema (or crema/sour cream blend), shredded Pepper Jack cheese, and lime juice until the cheese is melted and chili is creamy and slightly thickened.
- Taste and adjust. Add more salt, pepper, or lime juice if desired. For extra smoky-heat, swirl in a little adobo sauce or sprinkle of Tajín now.
- Ladle chili into bowls. Top with reserved grilled corn, Cotija cheese, cilantro, jalapeños, lime wedges, Tajín, a drizzle of adobo sauce, and tortilla chips for crunch.
Notes
Feel free to adjust the level of spiciness by using fewer jalapeños or opting for milder varieties.
For a lighter version, you can substitute grilled chicken with shredded rotisserie chicken.
Tortilla chips are a great addition for crunch when serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 75mg