Y'all, I think I've found the a new soup to add to our rotation - and it's this white bean, chicken, and roasted pepper stew. Seriously, it's so darn good. And get this - it's actually good for you too!
I modified the original recipe to make it a little more family-friendly (translation: less spicy), but the flavor is still out of this world. The key is in the roasted peppers and chiles - that's where all the magic happens. Once you get those babies charred and peeled, they add this incredible depth of flavor to the broth.
Oh, and the best part? You can totally use canned beans to make this even easier. But please, don't skip the broiling step for the veggies. That's what really gives this stew its signature taste.
White Bean, Chicken, and Roasted Pepper Stew
Serves: 6-8
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 pound dried small white (Navy) beans, Great Northern beans, or cannellini beans (or 3 cans, drained and rinsed)
- Kosher salt
- 3 colored bell peppers
- 2 Anaheim or Hatch chiles
- 1 onion, peeled and split in half
- 8 garlic cloves
- 1 pickled jalapeño, plus 2 tbsp pickling liquid
- 3 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 quart low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs)
- 1 lb shredded pepper jack cheese, divided
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
Instructions:
The Night Before:
Cover beans with 1 gallon (4 quarts) water. Add 1 1/2 tablespon of salt and stir until dissolved. Cover and let rest at room temperature at least 8 hours and up to 24. Drain and rinse beans.
Broil Veggies
Adjust broiler rack to 8 inches below broiler element and preheat broiler to high. Place all peppers, onion, and garlic on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Toss with one tablespoon oil using your hands to coat. Season with salt. Place under broiler and broil, turning peppers and rearranging vegetables occasionally, until peppers are blackened on all sides and skins are wrinkled all over, 15 to 20 minutes total. Gather up foil and form a sealed pouch. Let chilies rest for 5 minutes.
Peel and Puree Peppers
Place chilies and chicken stock in a large bowl. Peel chilies under the chicken stock, leaving skins and seeds behind. Transfer chili flesh to the cup of a hand blender or a standing blender. Add broiled onion, broiled garlic, and the canned jalapeño (do not add jalapeño pickling liquid). Blend until a smooth purée is formed. Set aside.
Start the Stock
Heat remaining oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add cumin and coriander and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chili purée and cook, stirring, until incorporated. Strain chicken stock into pot, pressing on skins and seeds to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard skins and seeds.
The Waiting Game
Add soaked beans to pot, adding water as necessary until beans are fully submerged. Bring to a boil, reduce to a bare simmer and cook. Continue simmering broth and beans until beans are fully tender, about 1 hour total. Remove 1 1/2 cups of beans and their liquid and transfer to a standing blender or the work cup of an immersion blender. Blend until completely smooth. Stir back into pot.
More Protein
Add chicken breasts to pot. Stirring occasionally, until chicken breasts register 150°F on an instant read thermometer, about 15 minutes. Shred chicken into bite-sized pieces and stir back into stew. Stir in half of cheese until melted.
Finishers
Stir in jalapeño pickling liquid, lime juice, and half of cilantro. Season to taste with salt.
Serve immediately with extra shredded cheese, lime wedges and cilantro.
This stew is just straight-up delicious. The roasted peppers give it a subtle sweetness that plays so nicely with the spices. And the white beans make it hearty and filling without feeling heavy. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! Let me know if you have any other questions.