While it isn’t normally recommended to assume much of anything, I would wager that most of you, like me, crave warm, hearty meals when it’s cold outside. Here in Canada, temperatures have been tremendously ‘Canadian,’ so to speak, with the wind chill allowing temperatures to feel as cold as negative 30 degrees Celsius here in Ontario, and that’s nothing compared to how frigid it gets in areas in Alberta.
The last thing I feel like doing when I’m already chilled to the bone is consume something cold. The same goes for water, although that isn’t exactly something we prefer to be warm, so my coffee intake has certainly increased over the span of these past few weeks. Since it is frowned upon to live on coffee alone, I decided to peruse the internet to see if I could find a truly hearty meal, and when I found a recipe for a White Chicken Chilli Mac Skillet from delish.com, I knew I had to share.
“Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 12 oz. medium pasta shells
- 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 jalapeño, seeded if desired, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup (30 g.) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups (or more) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 7 oz. Gouda, shredded (about 2 cups), divided
- 7 oz. white cheddar, shredded (about 2 cups), divided
- 2 rotisserie chicken breasts, shredded
- 1 (15-oz.) can great Northern beans, drained, rinsed
- 1 cup frozen white corn
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh cilantro
“Directions
- Step 1. Arrange a rack in center of oven; preheat to 375°. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until al dente according to package directions, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.
- Step 2. In a large, high-sided, cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Cook onion and jalapeño, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 7 minutes; season with 1/2 tsp. salt. Add garlic, paprika, and cumin and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
- Step 3. Add butter and cook, stirring, until melted and foamy. Add flour and cook, whisking frequently, until dissolved and toasty smelling, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Step 4. Add broth and cream, whisking until no lumps remain. Bring to a low simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and add 1 1/2 cups Gouda and 1 1/2 cups cheddar, stirring until melted. Fold in chicken, beans, corn, and pasta; season with salt and pepper. If skillet seems dry, add more broth, if needed. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup gouda and 1/2 cup cheddar over.
- Step 5. Transfer skillet to oven and bake chili until golden brown on top and bubbly around the edges, 25 to 30 minutes. Top with cilantro,” the recipe explains.
This sounds positively heavenly, and it would look great on your table for supper tonight.
Photo by Gaelle Marcel on Unsplash
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