White Chicken Quinoa Chili.
This makes no sense.
How about I make some chili this week? says me.
How about I warm up to 80 degrees all this week? says the universe.
I’m annoyed. Actually, I just typed out I’m “annoying” by mistake and I’m sure you will agree that I am that too. But I’m annoyed that it’s so hot out. I think I was born to live in Antarctica. It’s true. Okay, enough. I get it.
I am in complete soup overload.
Once a week – for real, it’s probably happening. I mean, I know I said that last week and I’m not planning it exactly like that because the minute I try to plan something I rebel and have absolutely zero interest in doing it, but what I’m saying is that I have a ton of freaking soup/stew/chili recipes that I’m yearning to share with you.
Yearning. That is not me. So not me.
Run on sentences. So me.
One of the reasons that I love making soups, besides the fact that, duh – I just really enjoy them, is because it provides me with the easiest lunches ever during the week. And filling ones too. Because I am convinced that when one works from home and has access to a fully stocked kitchen, pantry and whatever random recipes are lying around that day, that one is constantly a bottomless pit. Like I can just open up my mouth and pour soup down the hatch and never be full and still want to have a snack of those [insert whatever sounds delicious and is in the fridge today] immediately.
Right now that inserted snack is still seedless black grapes. It seems like we’ve eaten at least one hundred pounds of them in the last week.
Huh.
Want to talk about steamy chili?
This is some seriously pumped up chili. We’re talking chicken, beans, quinoa – protein overload. Luckily, that means lots of room for carbs which translates to “crumble ten thousand tortilla chips on top of your soup today.”
Got it?
White Chicken Quinoa Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cooked and shredded
- 3 cups or 2 cans, drained + rinsed cannellini beans
- 1 quart low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 cup cooked quinoa, I used red quinoa to add a little color
- 1 cup half and half
- 4 ounces monterey jack cheese, freshly grated + mroe for topping
- blue corn chips for crushing on top
- lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium-low heat and add olive oil. Add in the onion, peppers and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the cumin, paprika, salt and pepper and stir. Add the in shredded chicken, beans and chicken stock. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
- Stir in the quinoa, half and half and grated cheese, stirring well until the cheese is melted. Reduce the heat to low and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. Taste and season additionally if desired. Serve with extra cheese, chips and lime wedges.
Did you make this recipe?
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I appreciate you so much!
extra cheese please.
89 Comments on “White Chicken Quinoa Chili.”
Great use of quinoa here and so quick too. I love soups , maybe because I am lazy too wash up more than one pot.
IT must be a pain when the weather is not what the season says it is. In Australia it is meant to be spring but today it was windy and rainy. Poo, I feel your annoyance
I never would’ve though about adding quinoa to a “chili”. Great idea. I love a twist on soup since I make them all winter long. Spice of life baby.
I have been searching high and low for a perfect white chicken chili recipe in the past week. I love the addition of quinoa. And I know – this weather. I already put away my flips and I’m not about to put on a pair of shorts. I just want my fuzzy slippers and sweatshirts!
I’m having the same issue with the weather being too hot for soups but I’m soooooo ready for soup season! Come on, chilly fall days already!! I think I’m going to rebel and make this even if it is 80 degrees and sunny this weekend. It looks fab.
Um, you should totally move to the mountains. It is like your cream weather right now, 50 and and sunny. Perfect fall weather, perfect soup weather! Which by the way, I love too! This soup sounds really good and the chips on top have me sold!
I love quinoa in soups! I’ve made chowders with it–the BEST. I’m not a big fan of the warmer weather either, but on a positive note, it means I can still wear dresses to work and avoid having to buy more nice pants? It’s the little things, I tell you.
Making this soup this weekend!! Yep, it’ s happening. I need better leftovers.
Putting this on my short list. it is supposed to cool down somewhat by Sunday. And since I am reading this with Queen Helen’s Mint Julip mask is smeared all over my face right now, I think it is meant to be.
This looks incredible and I dont even eat chicken. It just looks so creamy! I want this! I posted soup today too – and it’s nice and hot here as well. Was 83F in my upstairs as I was editing the pics and I was sweating yesterday afternoon. LOL I love the pops of quinoa/texture in yours…mmm, so good!
Quinoa is my weakness!! Have you ever seen that funny NFL commercial? “is that a loofah?” check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcQmBCM3JMs
You’ll appreciate that! Thanks for sharing….
My favorite time of year! We seriously eat soup/chill/stew 3-4 times a week! I love that you can put it in a pot and forget about it! Love this one!
I think this recipe might seriously be chili perfection!
My husband and I are both sick and I made homemade soup on Monday and last night. I made this one recipe from another blog on Monday and had leftover roasted veggies from your recent post [roasted in honey and olive oil] and threw them in, and I think that made the soup! It was so good. Then last night I made the healthy harvest soup. So, I can tell you that my household is glad that you are posting soup recipes. We need them!!
I love the use of quinoa in this dish! Looks delicious!
Where’s my funnel?
Yes please! We’re experiencing an incredibly odd heatwave here (not that I’m complaining in the slightest) but I’ve had soup recipes flying around inside my head all week. I know exactly what I’ll be doing this weekend (and your recipe might just get made as well!)
I’d deep into soup mode, too. Yesterday I made beef stew – simmered it allll stinking day – and then was so hot while I was eating it that i had to shed some layers and sit on the deck.
Look for me on my deck, sitting in my underwear, eating this chili sometime next week.
Oh I’m so ready for this hot business to be over too!!! It’s October!!!
But this chili is calling me….need some of this pronto!!! I could just eat this hot chili and soup in the air conditioning if I had too. Ya do what ya gotta do!!
Ooooh, this looks so good! I don’t eat red meat, so this is perfect! Now if inly the weather would cool down so I could enjoy it…
Just dying over this. I don’t care if it’s 84 degrees in Chicago tomorrow, if I make enough soup, AUTUMN WILL COME.
I’m a weirdo and could eat soup in a hundred degree heat — especially something like this! And I don’t know how you do it, if I worked from home and cooked all day, everyday, I would be five trilion pounds.
Love white chili! Adding quinoa – GENIUS!! :)
this sounds awesome!! and it’s totally on diet. one thing – do you think you could add whole milk instead of half and half?? thanks!!!
This looks so yummy except that I hate Quinoa. (I know, right? I just can’t get over that texture… or the fact that it looks like worms when it cooks. Seriously… it’s like a big pile of mealworms to me. So. Not. Appetizing.)
HOWEVER I could probably make this and throw in some other grain – maybe rice? OMG I LOVE RICE. Or something else… I’ll try to be creative. I really think my boyfriend would love this.
Yum.
i’ve been soups every sunday for weeks! damn the weather!
btw, this chili will be made soon, with some avocado. of course.
http://semiweeklyeats.blogspot.com/2013/10/it-just-doesnt-matter.html
This looks incredible! Tons of fantastic flavors and perfect for this time of year. Great job :)
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
Perfection. Can’t wait to make a big steaming pot of this soon. It is actually winter here already (yes, snow). Don’t be jealous.
Next cooler day I’m totally making this! Chili at it’s finest :)
Yep, got it: billions of tortilla chips it is! Love the use of quinoa here, it srrrriously makes everything hearty and better (healthier?), right?
Totally agree: why won’t the thermostat cooperate when I just want to frolic in the foliage and funnel chili and stuff?!? Not. Fair. Stick to your guns, girl! Work that quinoa like a boss!!
This weather totally needs to make up its mind! But I could eat chili any time of year. This recipe looks delicious! Can’t wait to try it out
I want a bowl of this right now! :)
I Live in las vegas and I’m gonna go wack-o-crazy if it doesn’t get below 80 this week. I’m ready for sweat pants! :)
And lovin’ this chili! I’ve always wanted to try a white chili, but I never have!
Love this recipe! And we’re with you on this warm weather… isn’t it supposed to be sweater season!?!
Wow!! This looks so yummy!!! Need to make this ASAP!
I laughed out loud at 80 degrees. I live in the arse hole of Texas and it’s still high 90’s here. I think we’re so used to it though (and we’re all really country) that we never stop eating chili- we eat it all year. You never see fancy chili like this though. It looks really good!
I am also so ready for fall to actually be here and quit faking me out with chilly nights and mornings. I am in possession of pumpkin bread and pumpkin scented room spray. That means it’s time. Also, I’m done with deciding what I can wear every day based on whether I’ve shaved or not. I can’t be the only one with this problem.
I always eat quinoa as a salad, never is a sou/stew/chili. I love this application and the heartiness it brings to the chili. I’m just waiting for the weather to get cold again so I can try out this recipe!
You’re annoyed it’s so hot and I’m annoyed it’s SNOWING! Yes, that’s right. Coming soon?
Can you do this in the slow cooker?
Fantastic looking soup! Love the quinoa :)
I made this yesterday for our weekly “Sunday Funday” potluck with the neighbors. Another big hit from howsweeteats!
I have to admit, I tweaked your recipe slightly, using the meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken, and adding a can of white shoepeg corn with the beans to help blend the quinoa texture so that the kids would eat it without complaint. I also added 1/2 tsp of cayenne, 1/2 tsp chili pepper, an extra clove of garlic, an extra pinch of salt and pepper, and stirred in about 1 cup of sour cream. So the sour cream probably offset any of the healthy benefits, but it sure was delicious.
Put this all in the crockpot this morning with frozen thighs and can’t wait to get home to it tonight!
How did this turn out in the crockpot?
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Made this amazing dish last night….everyone had 2nds. Had to beat them off for thirds cause I wanted some left over for my lunch today!! Mind you, I made the entire dish and we were only 3 people, one of which had brought a heavy & filling pasta dish to share. I will make this again, next week. I did add more garlic because I AM a garlic freak, and maybe a dash of chili powder. Can’t go wrong with a dish that is not only freaking amazingly delicious, but also healthy…!!! They DO exist…!! Thanks for sharing!
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Just made this, and it’s amazing! Cooking for one, and after my second helping, there is a tonne left over…how do you think this will freeze?
Just made this for dinner, amazing! Another one I’m adding to my fall soup recipe collection. Thanks!
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