From Scratch: Pumpkin White bean and Chicken Chili
Let’s cozy up to a hot bowl of comforting pumpkin white bean and Chicken chili. This recipe takes the classic white bean and chicken chili and enriches the flavor with pumpkin and cinnamon. From the broth to the beans, this is a simple recipe is totally from scratch.
Winter in Wyoming is a bit longer that other places. We still have a good month of snow and chilly weather. So, we are keeping it cozy indoors. With lots of baking and soul warming foods.
This is also the time of year to look through the food storage and see what is left to eat. Last fall, I baked a giant Cinderella pumpkin. I pureed the pumpkin and froze it. It has made many delicious pumpkin pies, breads and soups. And we are finishing up the last of it. I love adding pumpkin to savory recipes. And adding a hint of cinnamon elevates the warmth.
So, lets talk about,
How to Make Simple Chicken Broth from Scratch
Directions for Pumpkin and White bean Chicken Chili
And some Shortcuts to make this the fast way
How to make Chicken Broth from Scratch
Making your own broth from scratch is super simple and much more cost effective! The first thing I do when I start ANY chicken soup, is pull out a whole bird from the freezer and thaw it out. If I’m starting this in the morning, I put it in the crock pot. Next, fill the crock with water till the bird is covered. Then generously douse it with salt. You could season the broth chicken at this point with other herbs and spices. You could season with….
Lemons
Leafy herbs
Dried herbs
Onions
Garlic
Veggies- Carrots, Celery
Whatever you think would go good with your soup. Then, set the crockpot to Low. And let the magic happen. You can leave it simmering for 6 to 8 hours. By the end of that time your chicken will be soft and falling off the bones.
In a hurry?
You could set the crock pot to high and simmer for 3 to 4 hours. I’ve also done this process on the stove and boiled the chicken for 2 hours. Either way you are going to end up with tender chicken for your soup and the broth to go with it.
This method makes more than one meal
I always have enough chicken to make 1 soup and then another meal. Sometimes I make 2 different chicken soups. There are so many meals you can make with shredded chicken. So, with the other half I will make tacos, a casserole, or BBQ chicken sandwiches. This method really kills more than 2 birds with one stone.
Directions for Pumpkin White Bean and Chicken Chili
I start this soup in the morning by preparing my chicken in the crock pot and starting my beans on a fast soak.
For the beans, I start a pot of boiling water. I pour the dry beans in and let boil on high for a couple mins. Then I turn the unit off. Shower the beans with salt and cover with the lid. For a fast soak you really only need to soak the beans for an hour. I just leave them in the water until I’m ready to make the soup. This works fine for me. Beans, in my experience really need a good 2 hours of real cooking time. So, I don’t think it really matters how long you soak them for.
Go about your day until you’re ready to make dinner
About 2 hours before dinner time, prepare your other ingredients. The chicken broth should be done. Use utensils to pull the hot chicken out of the boiling broth. Let it sit and cool. When it’s cool enough to touch, shred the chicken. It should be falling right off the bone.
Start by sauteing your aromantics, onions, garlic, chili powder, cumin and coriander. Let cook for 2 minutes. Then add your peppers, broth and beans. Let simmer on low to medium heat for 2 hours. I find you need at least 2 hours for the beans to be a good soft texture.
Even if it’s not really pumpkin season, this is a great way to use up that homemade pumpkin you stored in the fall!
Once the beans are soft, add the shredded chicken, sour cream/ yogurt, pumpkin, cilantro, lime and cinnamon. Guys! Don’t skip on the cinnamon. It adds a whole other depth of flavor. It can’t really be detected, but your taste buds will know this is magical!
Short Cuts
Maybe your short on time. This soup can come together in minutes before dinner time. Try these ideas instead.
Store bought chicken stock
Rotisserie chicken
A can of White northern beans
Can of green chili
A Can of Pumpkin
Ingredients
Directions
Recipe Printable
Pumpkin White Bean and Chicken Chili
A from scratch recipe of your favorite traditional creamy chicken chili. The full recipe includes chicken stock from scratch and dry beans. With a pumpkin cinnamon twist.
Ingredients
- Chicken Stock:
- 1 whole Chicken
- Filtered Water about 6 cups
- 1 TBL Salt
- Soup:
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 onion
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green pepper
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 1/2 Cups Dry White northern beans Soaked
- 6 cups Chicken broth (4 cups if using canned beans)
- 2 cups Shredded Chicken
- 1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- handful chopped cilantro
- juice half of lime
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Prepare homemade chicken stock by putting 1 whole chicken in the crockpot for 6 to 8 hours on low. Or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Add about 1 Tablespoon of salt.
- Place beans in a pot of boiling water. Boil for 2 minutes, then turn off unit. Let soak until soup is made. Or use 2 cans of White northern beans.
- Heat olive oil in a soup pot. Chop onion, garlic, and peppers. Sauté onions until translucent. Add garlic, peppers, and spices (all except cinnamon). Sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add broth and beans to pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 hours.
- Turn off crock pot and take out hot chicken. Let chicken cool and then shred.
- After beans are soft. Add chicken, sour cream/plain yogurt, pumpkin, cilantro, lime and cinnamon. Serve with tortilla chips, bread or biscuits.
Notes
The cooking time includes the chicken broth and cooking time for the beans. For a fast verion of this recipe substitute canned chicken stock, beans, green chilis, and pumpkin puree. Top a delicious bowl of chili with sour cream, lime juice, jalapenos, cilantro and roasted pumpkin seeds.
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