How do I make good white chili?

Question

The kind I've had contains great northern beans, chicken, lime juice, cilantro and cumin, but I don't know where to find the recipe. Help!

Answer 1

You can't. There is no such thing as "white chili." What is normally called "chili" is really "chile con carne," which means peppers with meat. The meat is beef or pork, not chicken (or swordfish, or any of the other bizarre things that are used in recipes originating in foreign countries like California). But you probably have in mind something like this recipe from Cooks.com:

WHITE CHILI

1 lb. dried Great Northern white beans, rinsed, picked over
2 lbs. boneless chicken breast
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 med. onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 (4 oz.) cans chopped mild green chilies
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano, crumbled
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
6 c. chicken stock or canned broth
3 c. grated Monterey Jack cheese (about 12 oz.)
Sour cream
Salsa
Chopped fresh cilantro

Place beans in heavy large pot. Add enough cold water to cover by at least 3 inches and soak overnight.
Place chicken in large heavy saucepan. Add cold water to cover and bring to simmer. Cook until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and cool. Remove skin. Cut chicken into cubes.

Drain beans. Heat oil in same pot over medium high heat. Add onions and saute until translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, then chilies, cumin, oregano, cloves and cayenne and saute 2 minutes. Add beans and stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until beans are very tender, stirring occasionally about 2 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.)

Add chicken and 1 cup cheese to chili and stir until cheese melts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle chili into bowls. Serve with remaining cheese, sour cream, salsa and cilantro.

Do this at your own risk. I don't know what it is, but it isn't authentic chile con carne.

Answer 2

I couldnt find a recipe with lime juice...this is a delicious one to try...very highly recommended!

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (4 ounce) can diced jalapeno peppers
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
3 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
3 (15 ounce) cans white beans
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Slowly cook and stir the onion until tender. Mix in the garlic, jalapeno, green chile peppers, cumin, oregano and cayenne. Continue to cook and stir the mixture until tender, about 3 minutes. Mix in the chicken broth, chicken and white beans. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the mixture from heat. Slowly stir in the cheese until melted. Serve warm.

Answer 3

A good chili takes a lot of seasoning. The key to a successful white chili is to make sure it's got plenty of garlic, oregano, ground cumin, and hot peppers in it. Otherwise it's just going to taste like vegetable soup.