Get ready for this Vegan White Chicken Chili to become your go-to recipe for busy days. It's ridiculously easy with just seven ingredients and a quick prep time of ten minutes. Perfect for those times when cooking feels like a hassle, but you still want a cozy, comforting meal waiting for you at the end of the day. Let's dive in and make dinner a breeze!
The inspiration for this recipe came from one of my aunts who has been making a tasty, slow cooker white chicken chili for decades. In fact, my first encounter with hominy was from enjoying her recipe when I was quite young. She still makes her chili today, often when her kids, my cousins, come home around the holidays. This past holiday, I saw she prepared this dish, sparking my excitement to recreate and veganize the recipe.
If you want a traditional chili, try out this slow cooker vegan pumpkin chili. And if you're like me and cannot get enough of cozy dishes centered around soy curls, then you gotta try out this 1-pot vegan chick'n and potato soup and this creamy vegan 'chicken' casserole.
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Ingredients
With just seven ingredients and a mere ten minutes of prep time, this recipe is the epitome of a low-lift meal. Perfect for those days when cooking feels like a challenge or time is scarce, it ensures that you'll come home to a warm, hearty, and comforting dish without the fuss.
- Soy Curls - serve as the chicken substitute in this recipe, providing a high-protein, high-fiber alternative. They are minimally processed and offer a cost-effective option for a nutritious and flavorful white bean vegan chili that even omnivores will devour. Learn all about soy curls as well as other amazing soy products and how to use them here
- Great northern beans - provide more plant protein, fiber, and flavor. Feel free to substitute for another white bean like cannellini beans
- Hominy - is a type of corn that has undergone a process called nixtamalization, where dried corn kernels are soaked in an alkaline solution, usually limewater. This process causes the kernels to swell and change in texture and flavor. Hominy is commonly used in various dishes, such as stews, soups, and corn-based foods like grits. It has a distinctive chewy texture and a slightly nutty and earthy flavor and contributes a hearty texture to this dish.
- Green chilis - contribute a gentle, tangy kick to this vegan white chicken chili, elevating the overall flavor profile without overwhelming the palate. We're not draining these since the liquid is packed with spices.
- Lime juice - enhances the overall flavor profile, imparting a zesty and citrusy brightness that balances the richness of the ingredients. Additionally, limes, like other citrus fruits, provide Vitamin C which aids in the absorption of plant iron (non-heme iron) which is present in the white beans and soy curls in this dish.
- Taco seasoning packet - the addition of a taco seasoning packet not only pays homage to the deliciousness of my aunt's traditional preparation from my childhood but also aligns with the simplicity of this recipe. This white bean chicken chili is designed to be one of the easiest, and incorporating your favorite taco seasoning packet makes it effortlessly flavorful-just open, dump, and enjoy! I personally like McCormick's taco seasoning packets, both the original and the 30% less sodium one, I also have used Siete Foods Spicy Taco seasoning and really enjoyed that.
- No-chicken broth - or any broth of choice to add some more volume and flavor. Better than Bouillon is my favorite brand.
- Make it your own with your favorite toppings! Whether it's the crunch of tortilla chips, creamy avocado slices, dollops of vegan sour cream, a kick from sliced jalapeños, a dash of hot sauce, or fresh cilantro, the choice is yours to make this comforting dish uniquely yours.
This recipe is dairy-free, nut-free, and vegan.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
At the time of posting, this could possibly be one of the simplest recipes on Plant Empowered Kitchen. Just hydrate the soy curls, open the remaining ingredients, combine everything in a slow cooker, and let it cook on low for 6 hours!
Pro Tip: Prior to hydrating your soy curls break any large or medium pieces in half or into smaller bite size pieces.
This recipe achieves a creamy, chunky texture by using an immersion blender. By pulsing it several times throughout the chili, the soy curls and white beans breakdown, creating a delightful blend of creaminess and chunkiness that elevates the overall look and mouthfeel of the chili.
No immersion blender? No problem! You can ladle out a portion of the soup, pulse it in a countertop blender, and reintroduce the mixture for that perfect creamy consistency or use a potato masher. Or just don't blend or mash it all and enjoy as is.
Check out the video below that demonstrates just how easy this recipe is.
Substitutions and Variations
- Gluten free- use a gluten free broth and ensure the taco seasoning packet is gluten free to make this chili gluten free.
- Taco seasoning / Sodium - use a lower sodium taco seasoning packet to reduce sodium content.
- Spicy - use a spicy taco seasoning packet, top with fresh sliced jalapeños and/or your favorite hot sauce.
- Lime - if fresh lime is unavailable, you can substitute it with 1 tablespoon of jarred lime juice.
- Add-ins - This chili is 100% a hearty meal on its own, but it is also delicious served over rice or quinoa.
Equipment
You will need a slow cooker for this recipe. Additionally, an immersion blender, regular blender, or potato masher.
Storage
Store any leftover white bean chili in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator. Good for up to 5 days.
Reheating leftovers in a slow cooker is not recommended. Cooked food should be reheated on the stove, in a microwave, or in a conventional oven until it reaches 165 °F. When reheating in the microwave, it is advisable to use a bowl or glass container. As a general practice, it's recommended to steer clear of reheating leftovers in plastic.
Freezer: After cooling, move to a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating and serving when ready to eat.
FAQ
Traditional chili typically revolves around a hearty mix of beans, usually red kidney or black beans, combined with ground or diced meat... or around here - plant-based protein alternatives. It features a robust tomato-based sauce with a blend of spices such as chili powder and cumin.
White chili, in contrast, takes a lighter path by incorporating white beans like cannellini or Great Northern beans. Its broth base is often clear or light, infused with spices like cumin and coriander for a milder flavor. White chili may embrace dairy elements for creaminess, and both versions offer room for personalization with toppings like vegan cheese, plant-based sour cream, and various condiments.
Yes, is absolutely can! After cooling, move to a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating and serving when ready to eat.
Related
Looking for other soup or chili recipes?! Try these:
Vegan White Chicken Chili
Equipment
- Slow cooker
- Immersion blender, or see notes section below
Ingredients
- 4 ounces soy curls, broken into small pieces, rehydrated
- 2 - 15.5 ounce cans (439 grams) great northern beans, drained
- 1 - 15.5 ounce can (439 grams) hominy (golden or white), liquid drained from can
- 2 - 4 ounce cans (113 grams) green chilis
- ½ of a fresh lime, juiced; save other half to slice into wedges and *consider an additional lime for more wedges
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 2 cups (475ml) no-chicken broth or vegetable broth
Make it your own with your favorite toppings!
- Whether it's the crunch of tortilla chips, creamy avocado slices, dollops of vegan sour cream, a kick from sliced jalapeños, a dash of hot sauce, or fresh cilantro, the choice is yours to make this comforting dish uniquely yours.
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, place soy curls and add warm water. Allow them to rehydrate for ~8 minutes. Once the time is up, drain the hydrated soy curls in a colander. Press down on the soy curls to extract any excess water.
- Transfer the rehydrated soy curls to the slow cooker. Add white beans, hominy, green chilis, lime juice, taco seasoning packet, and broth.
- Add lid and cook on low for 6 hours.
- To enhance the chili's texture, use an immersion blender to pulse several times throughout the slow cooker. This will help break apart the soy curls and blend some of the beans, creating a creamy, chunky consistency.
Thanks for coming! Let me know what you think: