Instant Pot White Chicken Chili with Zucchini
By America's Test KitchenPublished on July 20, 2022
Time
1 hour, plus 8 hours brining
Yield
Serves 6
Ingredients
1½ tablespoons table salt for brining8 ounces (1¼ cups) dried cannellini beans, picked over and rinsed2 poblano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and chopped coarse1 onion, chopped coarse2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed, seeded, and chopped1 tablespoon canola oil 1¼ teaspoons table salt 4 garlic cloves, minced1 tablespoon ground cumin 2 teaspoons ground coriander 2 cups chicken broth 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed1½ cups fresh cilantro, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths, divided2 zucchini (8 ounces each), quartered lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick
Before You Begin
Serve with cubed avocado, lime wedges, and sour cream or Greek yogurt.
Instructions
- Dissolve 1½ tablespoons salt in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Add beans and soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Drain and rinse well.
- Pulse poblanos, onion, and jalapeños in food processor until finely chopped, about 10 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer to bowl and set aside (do not wash food processor).
- Using highest sauté function, heat oil in Instant Pot until shimmering. Add poblano mixture and salt and cook until mixture is softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin, and coriander and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth and beans, scraping up any browned bits, then nestle chicken into bean mixture. Lock lid into place and close pressure-release valve. Select high pressure-cook function and cook for 9 minutes.
- Turn off Instant Pot and quick-release pressure. Carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you. Transfer chicken to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces using 2 forks.
- Meanwhile, transfer 1 cup cooked bean mixture and 1 cup cilantro to food processor and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Stir zucchini into chili, partially cover, and cook, using highest sauté function, until just tender, about 4 minutes.
- Stir in shredded chicken and any accumulated juices and processed bean mixture, and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Top individual portions with remaining ½ cup cilantro and serve.
Time
1 hour, plus 8 hours briningYield
Serves 6Ingredients
1½ tablespoons table salt for brining
8 ounces (1¼ cups) dried cannellini beans, picked over and rinsed
2 poblano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and chopped coarse
1 onion, chopped coarse
2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 tablespoon canola oil
1¼ teaspoons table salt
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 cups chicken broth
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
1½ cups fresh cilantro, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths, divided
2 zucchini (8 ounces each), quartered lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick
Ingredients
1½ tablespoons table salt for brining
8 ounces (1¼ cups) dried cannellini beans, picked over and rinsed
2 poblano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and chopped coarse
1 onion, chopped coarse
2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 tablespoon canola oil
1¼ teaspoons table salt
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 cups chicken broth
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
1½ cups fresh cilantro, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths, divided
2 zucchini (8 ounces each), quartered lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick
Ingredients
1½ tablespoons table salt for brining
8 ounces (1¼ cups) dried cannellini beans, picked over and rinsed
2 poblano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and chopped coarse
1 onion, chopped coarse
2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 tablespoon canola oil
1¼ teaspoons table salt
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 cups chicken broth
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
1½ cups fresh cilantro, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths, divided
2 zucchini (8 ounces each), quartered lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick
Why This Recipe Works
Using two peppers added a more complex flavor: Jalapeños gave a fresh, vegetal taste while poblanos brought a touch of earthiness. Lacking tomatoes and the fat and collagen of traditional beef stewing cuts, white chili can come out thin. To thicken our chili, we puréed just a portion of the white beans with some cilantro and then stirred this mixture back in to create a velvety, full-bodied texture that was vibrantly green, and creamy without any cream. By using boneless, skinless chicken thighs, we could cook dried cannellini beans at the same time without the beans blowing out or the chicken overcooking. Simmering zucchini in the stew after it cooked under pressure enabled the squash to keep its texture and turned the dish into a hearty meal.
Before You Begin
Serve with cubed avocado, lime wedges, and sour cream or Greek yogurt.
Instructions
- Dissolve 1½ tablespoons salt in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Add beans and soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Drain and rinse well.
- Pulse poblanos, onion, and jalapeños in food processor until finely chopped, about 10 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer to bowl and set aside (do not wash food processor).
- Using highest sauté function, heat oil in Instant Pot until shimmering. Add poblano mixture and salt and cook until mixture is softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin, and coriander and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth and beans, scraping up any browned bits, then nestle chicken into bean mixture. Lock lid into place and close pressure-release valve. Select high pressure-cook function and cook for 9 minutes.
- Turn off Instant Pot and quick-release pressure. Carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you. Transfer chicken to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces using 2 forks.
- Meanwhile, transfer 1 cup cooked bean mixture and 1 cup cilantro to food processor and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Stir zucchini into chili, partially cover, and cook, using highest sauté function, until just tender, about 4 minutes.
- Stir in shredded chicken and any accumulated juices and processed bean mixture, and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Top individual portions with remaining ½ cup cilantro and serve.
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