Picture this: You’ve just strolled out of Trader Joe’s, arms heavy with bags, soul buzzing with the unbridled joy of snagging the last package of sous vide chicken (take that, lady in the floral scarf eyeing the same pack!). Now, what to do with this golden ticket of culinary delight? Fear not, TJ’s adventurers, for I have embarked on a flavor quest to bring you the holy grail of comfort foods: White Chicken Chili, starring none other than our hero of the hour, Trader Joe’s sous vide boneless chicken thighs. This isn’t just any recipe; it’s your ticket to the Chili Hall of Fame, a journey where every spoonful is a step closer to nirvana, and every bowl is a hug for your soul. So tie on your aprons, and let’s make magic happen with the easiest, most lip-smacking chili this side of the Trader Joe’s parking lot.
Why is Trader Joe’s sous vide chicken the secret ingredient? the wand wave, the magic spell that makes this chili not just good, but spellbindingly great? Well, dear culinary wizards, it’s all about the flavor and the fuss-free factor. This chicken comes out of the package tender, juicy, and infused with a depth of flavor that only the slow, precise art of sous vide can achieve.
It’s like the chicken has been marinating in a potion of deliciousness, ready to elevate your chili from mere mortal status to the stuff of legend. No need to spend hours coaxing flavors out of your protein—this chicken comes pre-loved and pre-flavored, making it the perfect shortcut to a chili that tastes as if it simmered for hours under the watchful eye of a gourmet chef. In the alchemy of cooking, Trader Joe’s sous vide chicken is that rare ingredient that does the hard work for you, transforming your chili into a dish so tantalizing, it might just disappear in a puff of smoke (or happy sighs).
Because Trader Joe’s has done the cooking of the chicken for you it saves you a ton of time preparing raw chicken. But, as we mentioned before, cooking with the sous vide method, the chicken comes out very tender and very flavorful. All you need to do is warm the chicken up in a pan or the microwave and cut it up a bit more and throw it in the cooking chili for a few minutes to heat it through and you are done!
What is Sous Vide?
Sous vide, French for “under vacuum,” is a culinary technique that feels like a science experiment with delicious results. Imagine sealing your favorite ingredients—meat, fish, veggies—in a bag, sucking all the air out to give it that snug, vacuum-sealed embrace, and then gently cooking it in a water bath at a precise, controlled temperature. This method is the culinary equivalent of giving your food a spa day, where it gets to relax and slowly come to the perfect level of doneness, retaining all its moisture, flavor, and nutrients without the slightest risk of overcooking. The beauty of sous vide lies in its precision; it allows chefs and home cooks alike to achieve results that were once the exclusive domain of Michelin-starred kitchens. The food emerges with textures and flavors so tender and infused, that it’s as if they’ve been coaxed into their best selves, making sous vide a favorite technique among food enthusiasts for elevating everyday meals into gourmet experiences.
What is in this recipe
All of these ingredients are readily available at Trader Joe’s
- Cannellini Beans – These beans give this recipe a rich thickness to the chili. When you cook the chili you mash some of the beans to make the chili very thick so don’t worry if it seems runny just mash up a few more beans to thicken it up. You can substitute another white bean like Great Northern beans, but don’t use a colored bean unless you want the chili to look like that color.
- Chicken Broth – I used Trader Joe’s Organic Chicken Broth, but you could use vegetable broth or even the bone broth. Both have a lot of flavor too.
- Sous Vide Chicken Thighs – Trader Joe’s offers many options here but I highly recommend the Sous Vide Chicken thighs because of the ease and the flavor. Trader Joe’s also offers Sous Vide Turkey which might be a great substitute, they also have frozen pre-cooked chicken. Or, just leave the chicken out and you have a vegetarian chili recipe!
- Canned Jalapeno Chilis – These have a little of a kick, but not enough for you chiliheads. If you want to kick up the heat a bit, I would use Trader Joe’s Jalapeno Sauce to keep with the white chili color. Otherwise, Trader Joe’s Canned Jalapeno Chilis give a great jalapeno flavor to the dish. There really isn’t any substitute.
- Trader Joe’s Frozen Corn – I used traditional frozen corn with no other seasonings, but an interesting variation might be to use Trader Joe’s Seasoned Corn Ribs or the Trader Joe’s frozen Roasted Corn which has been roasted and has some extra flavors.
Cost to Make this White Chili
This recipe makes a lot of chili. You can easily cut it in half, but it serves six people so the cost is higher than many of my recipes but it’s totally worth it if you want extras or to serve a crowd. The main cost here is the chicken but that is to save time. If you want to save money, roast some fresh chicken thighs and shave off about $5.
| Ingredient | Cost |
|---|---|
| Trader Joe’s Sous Vide Chicken Thighs | $8.99 |
| Yellow Onion | $.99 |
| 1 large Jalapeno Pepper | $.50 |
| Garlic and spices | $.25 |
| Trader Joe’s Chicken Broth | $1.99 |
| 2 x Cans Cannellini Beans | $2.18 |
| 2 x cans of roasted Green Chiles | $2 |
| 1 cup Frozen Corn | $.50 |
| Total | $17.50 |
White Chili with Trader Joe’s Sous Vide Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- 1 Large Pot
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 large Yellow Onion, chopped
- 1 Jalapeno Pepper, chopped
- 2 tsp Garlic, minced or 2 frozen cubes
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- ½ tsp Paprika
- 1 pinch Cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp Salt
- Fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 2 15 oz Cans of Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 4 oz Cans of diced green chiles
- 4 cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
- 1 Trader Joe's Sous Vide Chicken Thighs or 2 ½ – 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 1 cup Frozen corn
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeno and cook, stirring, until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, cumin, paprika, cayenne, salt and a few grinds of black pepper, and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the chicken broth, cannellini beans and diced green chiles with their liquid and bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring, until the broth has reduced by about half, about 20 minutes.
- Off the heat, use a large spoon to smash some of the beans against the side of the pot. Continue mashing the beans until the broth is noticeably thicker. Smash until desired thickness.
- Return pot to medium heat and stir in the sous vide chicken and corn, and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Juice the lime half over the pot, then taste for seasonings and add more salt, black pepper, and cayenne, if you want.
- Serve chili in bowls topped with whatever you want. Some suggestions are lime wedges, shredded cheddar cheese, pickled jalapeños, diced avocado, sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro and tortilla chips.
