Name: Quick White Chicken Chili
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 (15-ounce) can white or yellow hominy , rinsed, divided; 4 cups chicken broth , divided; 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts , trimmed; ½ teaspoon table salt; ½ teaspoon pepper; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil , divided; 3 poblano chiles , stemmed, seeded, and chopped; 1 onion, chopped fine; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 3 garlic cloves , minced; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon ground coriander; ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper; ½ cup jarred tomatillo salsa or salsa verde; 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Why This Recipe Works

Usually chili needs to simmer for hours, making it an all-day affair, but this mildly spiced, tomato-free chicken version is ready in less than an hour. Canned hominy and store-bought broth, blended until smooth, create a thick base for the chicken, which you brown before poaching in the broth and then shred before adding to the finished chili. Leaving some of the hominy kernels whole to stir into the chili adds warm corny flavor and a pleasingly chewy texture. Some tomatillo salsa and cilantro add bright green freshness without veering into green chili territory.

Before You Begin

To make this dish spicier, include the poblano chile seeds. Serve with all your favorite toppings for customizing individual bowls: sour cream, shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, chopped tomato, sliced scallions, pickled jalapeños, and/or tortilla chips.

Instructions

Process 1½ cups hominy and 1 cup broth in blender until smooth, about 10 seconds; set aside.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown chicken lightly on both sides, about 5 minutes; transfer to plate.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, poblanos, and onion to fat left in pot and cook over medium heat until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour, garlic, cumin, coriander, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in remaining 3 cups broth, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps.

Stir in pureed hominy mixture and remaining hominy. Add browned chicken, along with any accumulated juices, cover, and simmer gently until chicken registers 160 degrees, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to cutting board; using 2 forks, shred into bite-size pieces.

Return chili to simmer. Stir in shredded chicken and tomatillo salsa and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.