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Chicken Chili With Cornbread Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

White Chicken Chili With Cornbread Recipe

I still remember the first time I dropped cornbread batter straight into a pot of simmering white chicken chili. I honestly didn't expect it to work as well as it did. The dumplings puffed up soft and slightly sweet, soaking up all that creamy, spiced broth underneath
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound chicken tenders – cooks faster than chicken breast and shreds easily once done
  • 1/2 cup onion diced – builds the savory base flavor of the broth
  • 2 cloves garlic minced – fresh garlic gives a much deeper flavor than jarred
  • 32 ounce container chicken broth – use a good quality broth since it's the backbone of the whole dish
  • 1 cup water – helps thin the broth to the right consistency
  • 2 15 ounce cans white beans (great northern, navy, or cannellini) – adds heartiness without heaviness, don't skip draining them
  • 4 ounce can chopped green chiles – gives a gentle not overpowering, kick of heat
  • 15 ounce can corn or hominy undrained – the starchy liquid helps thicken the chili slightly
  • 1 can cream of chicken soup – the shortcut that makes the broth silky and rich
  • 1 packet taco seasoning – an easy way to layer in cumin chili powder, and paprika at once
  • 1/4 cup sour cream – whisk it in off heat so it doesn't curdle
  • 1/4 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend – melts beautifully into both the chili and the dumpling batter
  • 1/4 cup sliced green onions – fresh sharp bite that balances the creaminess
  • 1 packet sweet corn muffin mix – the base of the cornbread dumplings no need for anything fancy
  • 1 large egg – binds the dumpling batter together

Method
 

  1. Add the chicken broth, water, diced onion, minced garlic, and chicken tenders into your large pot. Bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and let it cook for about 15 to 20 minutes. Once the chicken is fully cooked through, pull it out and shred it with two forks before returning it to the pot.
  2. Stir the taco seasoning into the simmering broth so those spices have time to bloom and flavor the liquid. Add in the drained white beans, the can of green chiles, and the corn or hominy along with its liquid. Let this simmer gently for another 10 minutes so all the flavors come together nicely.
  3. Lower the heat so the chili isn't boiling hard, then stir in the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and shredded cheese. Whisking gently here prevents the sour cream from breaking. This is the step that turns a basic chili into something closer to a creamy, hearty stew.
  4. In a separate bowl, combine the corn muffin mix with the egg and just enough liquid to form a thick, scoopable batter thicker than regular cornbread batter. You want it stiff enough to hold its shape when dropped into the pot instead of dissolving into the broth.
  5. Spoon dollops of the thick batter directly onto the surface of the simmering chili, spacing them out so they have room to puff. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and let them steam undisturbed for 12 to 15 minutes. Resist lifting the lid early, since escaping steam slows down the cooking.
  6. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a dumpling; it should come out clean with no wet batter. Once they're set, ladle the chili into bowls, making sure each one gets a few dumplings on top. Garnish with green onions and a spoonful of sour cream before serving warm.

Notes

  • I always keep my batter on the thicker side. The thin batter just melts into the broth instead of forming a proper dumpling.
  • I like to warm my chicken broth before adding the cream of chicken soup so the temperature change doesn't shock the mixture.
  • I've found that dicing my onions small helps them melt into the broth instead of staying crunchy.
  • I never rush the steaming step. My dumplings only turn out fluffy when I leave that lid on the whole time.
  • I sometimes swap in white chicken chili with cornmeal as a base if I want a slightly grittier, more rustic texture.