05 MARCH 2026 — AROUND THE TABLE
White Chicken Chili
It’s officially soup season, so in this edition of Around the Table, Shea shares the white chicken chili she makes on repeat. It’s not your average bowl—charred lime, blistered tomatillos, and generous handfuls of sharp white cheddar add a brightness you don’t usually get from a hearty chili. Cozy and comforting yet fresh and layered, it delivers everything classic white chicken chili promises, with a lighter, more modern twist.
Ingredients
- ½ POUND (8 OUNCES) TOMATILLOS
- 5 LIMES
- 1 MEDIUM YELLOW ONION
- 1 POBLANO
- 3 GARLIC CLOVES
- 3 EARS CORN, OR A 16-OUNCE BAG FROZEN CORN
- 6 KALE LEAVES, EITHER LACINATO OR CURLY-LEAF
- ½ CUP BASIL LEAVES, LOOSELY PACKED, PLUS MORE FOR SERVING
- 1 TABLESPOON NEUTRAL OIL, SUCH AS AVOCADO OIL
- 8 OUNCES DICED HATCH CHILIES
- 6 CUPS (48 OUNCES) CHICKEN BROTH
- 5 TEASPOONS KOSHER SALT
- 2 ½ POUNDS CHICKEN BREAST, BONELESS AND SKINLESS
- 2 (15-OUNCE) CANS CANNELLINI BEANS, DRAINED AND RINSED, DIVIDED
- 4 CUPS (16 OUNCES) GRATED WHITE CHEDDAR, DIVIDED
- SOUR CREAM, FOR SERVING, OPTIONAL
Method
Step 01
Set out a blender to be used later. Peel and rinse the tomatillos and halve each lime. Set aside.
Step 02
Prepare the rest of the vegetables. Dice the onion and poblano, then thinly slice the garlic. Place in a medium bowl. Slice the kernels off each corn cob (if using fresh), de-stem the kale and roughly chop the leaves, and roughly chop the basil. Set them aside in a separate bowl.
Step 03
Add the oil to a large dutch oven over medium heat. Once rippling, add the tomatillos and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, turning the tomatillos occasionally, until they are blistered. Remove the tomatillos and set aside. Add the halved limes, placing them cut side down. Cook the limes for 2 to 3 minutes until the limes are well charred. Set the limes aside for serving, then transfer tomatillos to the blender and set aside.
Step 04
Immediately add the onion, poblano, and garlic to the pot. Sauté until soft, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the hatch chilies and sauté briefly, then add the broth and salt.
Step 05
Once the broth is steaming and on the verge of simmering, reduce the heat to low and add the chicken breasts. Cover the pot with an off-center lid to let some steam escape. Poach the chicken until the internal temperature is 165 degrees, about 15 to 17 minutes. Remove the chicken and shred, then return it to the pot.
Step 06
To a blender, add the reserved, charred tomatillos and half of the beans (1 can) and blend until smooth, scraping the sides as needed, for about 30 seconds. Pour the mixture into the pot and increase the heat to medium-low. Bring the chili to a bare simmer.
Step 07
Once simmering, add the corn, kale, basil, and remaining beans (1 can) and cook until the kale is fully wilted, and the corn is a bright shade of yellow, about 5 minutes.
Step 08
Working one handful at a time, add 2 cups of the grated cheddar to the chili, stirring until the cheese is melted between each addition.
Step 09
Finally, juice one of the charred limes and add it to the soup. Taste and adjust for salt. To serve, top each bowl of chili with extra cheese, a charred lime, extra basil, and a dollop of sour cream.
