Description
This Mexican Street Corn White Chicken Chili is packed with flavor from grilled chicken, fresh corn, and a creamy finish. Perfect for a quick dinner, it combines the warmth of Tex-Mex spices with the freshness of cilantro and lime, making it a delightful comfort food option that’s easy to prepare!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)
- 3 ears corn on the cob husked (or 2½ cups corn kernels)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 3–4 cloves garlic minced
- 2–3 jalapeños diced (seeded for mild, with seeds for extra heat)
- 1 (15-ounce can) white beans (cannellini or great northern), drained and rinsed
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (plus more for serving)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup mexican crema (or ½ cup crema + ½ cup sour cream)
- 1 (4-ounce block) pepper jack cheese shredded (about 1 cup)
- Juice of 1 lime
- Crumbled Cotija cheese
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Extra grilled corn kernels reserved from above
- sliced or diced jalapeños
- Lime wedges
- Sprinkle of Tajín seasoning
- Drizzle of adobo sauce (from canned chipotle peppers in adobo)
- additional chipotle chili powder or smoked paprika
- Tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips
Instructions
- Grill the chicken and corn by brushing with 1 tablespoon olive oil and seasoning with salt and pepper. Grill over medium-high heat until chicken is cooked and corn is charred, about 5-7 minutes for the chicken and 8-10 minutes for corn. After grilling, let them cool; then dice or shred the chicken and cut the corn off the cobs, reserving some corn for topping.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and jalapeños, cooking for 3-4 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Add the cumin, smoked paprika, chipotle chili powder, salt, and pepper to bloom the spices; stir and cook for 30 seconds.
- Combine the grilled chicken, most of the grilled corn, white beans, and chicken broth. Stir gently, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove pot from heat and stir in the Mexican crema (or crema/sour cream blend), shredded Pepper Jack cheese, and lime juice until melted and creamy.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, or lime juice if desired. For extra smoky-heat, swirl in adobo sauce or sprinkle of Tajín at this stage.
- Ladle the chili into bowls and top with reserved grilled corn, Cotija cheese, cilantro, jalapeños, lime wedges, Tajín, a drizzle of adobo sauce, and tortilla chips.
Notes
For extra heat, keep the seeds in the jalapeños when adding them to the pot.
Use different types of cheese as a topping for varied flavors, such as Monterey Jack or Queso Fresco.
This chili can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days for convenience.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 425
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 43g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg