Sweet Corn White Chicken Chili with Charred Corn

Sweet Corn White Chicken Chili

Browned sweet corn gives this stovetop white chicken chili its defining flavor and topping. Most of the corn simmers with cooked shredded chicken and white beans; about 1/2 cup stays out of the pot so the golden, blistered kernels remain distinct on top. Mashing some of the beans thickens the broth without making it smooth, and sour cream stirred in off heat gives the chili a creamy, tangy finish.

Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: About 25 minutes | Total: About 40 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients for Sweet Corn White Chicken Chili

• 3 cups frozen sweet corn, thawed and patted dry (about 500g)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 150g)
• 2 small jalapeños, 1 diced for the chili and 1 sliced into rings for topping
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed (about 500g drained)
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 cups cooked shredded chicken (about 420g)
• 1/2 cup sour cream (about 120g)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus more to taste
• 1/3 cup crumbled cotija cheese (about 40g)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Optional for serving: About 1 cup tortilla strips and extra lime wedges.

How to Make Sweet Corn White Chicken Chili

1. Brown the corn: Heat an empty 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and the dry corn, spreading it in a thin layer. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally and letting the kernels sit between stirs. Start checking after 4 minutes; the corn should be golden with scattered dark, blistered spots. If it crowds the pot or releases water, brown it in batches. Transfer to a bowl and reserve about 1/2 cup for topping.
2. Soften the aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, onion, and diced jalapeño. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until the onion softens. Stir in the garlic, cumin, oregano, and smoked paprika; cook briefly, until fragrant but not browned.
3. Simmer the chili: Mash about 1 cup of the drained beans with a fork, leaving the rest whole. Add the broth, mashed and whole beans, cooked chicken, and corn that was not reserved. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check after about 8 minutes: the broth should coat a spoon but still ladle easily, and the chicken and beans should be hot throughout.
4. Finish off heat: Turn off the heat and let vigorous bubbling stop. Stir a few spoonfuls of warm broth into the sour cream in a small bowl, then gently stir it into the chili. Add the lime juice. Taste before adding salt and pepper; the chicken, broth, and cotija may already be salty. If the chili is too thick, stir in a splash of broth. Do not boil it after adding the sour cream.
5. Garnish and serve: Scatter the reserved browned corn, cotija, jalapeño rings, and cilantro loosely across the center of the pot, leaving some creamy chili visible. Ladle into bowls and offer tortilla strips and extra lime separately, if desired.

How to Keep the Chili Creamy and Ladleable

Mash only about 1 cup of beans so the broth thickens while whole beans, corn, and chicken remain visible. The uncovered simmer reduces the broth slightly. If it still looks thin before adding sour cream, mash another spoonful of beans and simmer briefly; decide whether it needs extra broth only after the sour cream goes in.

Loosening the sour cream with warm broth helps it blend evenly. Keep the heat off as you stir it in, since vigorous boiling can make the dairy look grainy.

Corn, Cheese, and Chicken Options

Fresh kernels or well-drained canned corn can replace frozen corn. Dry them before browning so they make contact with the hot pot instead of steaming. Queso fresco can replace cotija for a milder white cheese topping. Mexican crema can replace sour cream, though the chili’s thickness and tang may change.

Starting with raw chicken? It needs a longer simmer than the main recipe. Cook it in the broth until it reaches 165°F (75°C), then remove it, shred it, and return it to the chili before adding dairy. Do not use the cooked-chicken timing above.

For a tangier chicken chili, try Chicken Chili Verde with Roasted Tomatillos. For a separate slow cooker option, see Slow Cooker Taco Chili with Shredded Chicken.

Storage, Reheating, and Freezing

Refrigerate cooled chili in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Keep the reserved corn and fresh garnishes separate when practical. Reheat the chili gently over low to medium-low heat, stirring in a little broth if it has thickened, then add the garnishes.

For make-ahead serving or freezing, prepare the chili base without the sour cream, lime, or garnishes. Freeze the base for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator, reheat gently, then add the sour cream, lime, and toppings. Freezing fully finished chili may change its dairy texture.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per serving (1/6 of the recipe, including cotija but excluding optional tortilla strips): 430 calories, 36g protein, 16g fat, and 40g carbohydrates. Approximate values per 100g of finished chili: 105 calories, 9g protein, 4g fat, and 10g carbohydrates. Values vary with the prepared chicken, beans, broth, and amount of reduction.