Vegan White “Chicken” Chili recipe with Beyond Meat

One of my favorite non-vegan dishes to make is white chicken chili. Creamy cannellini beans, a dash of cornmeal and green hot pepper sauce are perfect accompaniments to this hearty stew that I can’t wait to make once the leaves start to change color and there’s a chill in the air.

I’ve wanted to share this recipe with my husband, but sadly, it’s always been a solo affair. While the rest of the soup could easily be made vegan, there just hasn’t been a good substitute for chicken. Putting in tempeh isn’t similar at all (taste or feel), tofu isn’t the right texture, and I’ve never been a fan of Gardein (close, but not convincing enough to the real thing that I’d want to eat it).

Enter Beyond Meat, the new so-close-to-chicken-it’s-scary product I’ve been raving about, and suddenly, I’ve had the chance to transform all of my favorite previously-can’t-make-vegan recipes into delectable delights that both of us can enjoy. I hope you enjoy this recipe for white ‘chicken’ chili!

1. Heat oil in large pot or dutch oven over medium heat; add garlic and onion, sautee until onion is tender
2. Mash 1/2 cup of beans
3. Add all remaining ingredients into pot
4. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. The chili is done when the cornmeal is fully cooked
5. Garnish with vegan sour cream, or if for a non-vegan, an ample dollop of plain greek yogurt, plus sliced green onions, and/or avocado

Notes:

• You may have noticed that salt isn’t listed as an ingredient – this is on purpose! While it’s easy to find low sodium chicken broth, it’s a lot trickier to find fake chicken broth that doesn’t taste like a salt lick. The only brand I’ve found period that actually tastes like chicken broth is the Better than Bouillon “no chicken” product, and it’s damned salty. I suggest making the soup without ANY extra salt, then add some at the end only if necessary. It’s an ingredient that’s easy to add, but impossible to remove.
• I like chili that’s a little bit brothy – if you like it super thick, use 2 cups of broth instead of 3. It’s always easy to add more at the end if needed.
• I have extremely low tolerance for spicy foods, so 2 tsp of green hot pepper sauce has a moderate kick to me. If you like it hot, add up to 3 tsp more (test after each tsp to find your ideal level)
• I personally love this soup with a generous helping of greek yogurt – if you go that route, make sure you get a mediterranean or higher quality brand. I’ve purchased generic store brands (like Kroger) which are sweet, and that is NOT a flavor you want in this dish.