There’s nothing better than hearty chili when the weather turns cool. This is the best White Chicken Chili with Cilantro Lime Cornbread Dumplings you’ll ever eat!
As we gear up for all the holiday goodness that’s to come in the next few weeks, I thought I’d interrupt the sugar plums and roasted chestnuts to bring you a comforting and scrumptious dinner that’ll take you all the way through Winter!
Unfortunately, we do have to eat more than cookies and milk during the Christmas season (unless you’re Santa).
I’m sure the actual invention of white chili came way before I was born, but I can recall a time during the late 90’s/early 00’s that it was hella popular.
Along with Britney Spears, butterfly clips, and chasing waterfalls mind you. I can actually remember when my mom first made the soup and I loaded my bowl with sour cream and shredded cheese. We were obsessed.
I’ve made it several times as an adult, and I have to say, it always felt like it was missing something. Maybe I’m partial but after trying it with these cilantro lime cornbread muffins, my obsession is back.
You’ll have to excuse if there are any typos or unexpected gibberish in this post. You see, this mama is a little sleep-deprived. Miss Norah is currently 4 months old and let’s just say that sleep regression is real.
Honestly, I don’t feel like I can really complain. She wakes up once, MAYBE twice and I’m usually up for about an hour getting her back to sleep. What’s really hard is the naps. In a perfect world, I would lay her down in her crib and she would put herself to sleep for 2 hours.
Sadly, this is not a perfect world and the little cutie is currently wrapped up in a sling drooling on my chest. You know what? I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m telling you this because I was also “wearing” her when I made this chili.
So, if you’re a new mom and you need something easy and delicious that you can make while babywearing, this is it!
What’s your favorite kind of soup/stew/chili to have in the winter? Leave me a comment letting me know below!
Try my Cheesy Jalapeño Popper Soup!
White Chicken Chili with Cilantro Lime Cornbread Dumplings
Ingredients
- For the Chili
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, diced
- 1 jalapeño, de-seeded and minced
- 1 7-ounce canned green chiles
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
- 32 ounces (4 cups) chicken broth
- 4 cups shredded cooked chicken (try using a rotisserie chicken!)
- 2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
- For the Dumplings
- 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tsp lime zest
- 1 cup + 1 tbsp buttermilk
Instructions
- For the Chili
- To a large Dutch oven, add the olive oil and heat over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion, jalapeño, green chilis, and sauté for about 7 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften. Stir intermittently.
- Add the garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, chicken, cannellini beans, lime juice, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, red chili flakes, and bring to a simmer.
- Taste chili and add additional salt to taste.
- For the Dumplings
- While the chili is cooking, mix up the dumpling batter. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, cilantro, and lime zest. Pour in the buttermilk and mix until combined.
- Drop tablespoons of ice cream scoops of dumpling dough right onto the simmering chili and then repeat with the remaining dumpling dough. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes until the dumplings are fluffy and cooked through.
- Ladle into bowls and serve immediately.
