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Pantry Meals

White Chicken Poblano Chili

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Creamy White Chicken Poblano Chili with hearty beans, flavorful poblano and bits of sweet corn is a comforting change from the classic beef chili.

Creamy White Chicken Poblano Chili with hearty beans, flavorful poblano and bits of sweet corn is a comforting change from the classic beef chili.

Everyone makes the classic beef chili, but how about trying this White Chicken Poblano Chili? Inspired from our most recent visit to Costco where we wove our way through the samples. My daughter had one bite and loved it, wanting to take some home. But, of course, I had to tell her that I’ll make it a home. The phrase she is all too familiar with. I knew I had to create a recipe for this cold weather comfort food right away.

This comforting chili starts off with big flavor from browning the chicken thighs in bacon fat then transferring to the oven and roasted for even more depth of flavor. I like to use chicken thighs because they retain moisture, but if you prefer, you can substitute for white meat.

Tips:

Whenever you can – buy dried beans. You not only save money, but I have to believe that they are better for you having not been sitting in the can for months on the shelf. If you’re in a hurry, use rotisserie chicken. Just stir in some of the juices at the bottom of the container.

Serving Suggestions:

  • Dollop of sour cream
  • Diced avocado
  • Crunchy tortilla chips
  • Chopped cilantro

Related Recipes:

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White Chicken Poblano Chili

Creamy White Chicken Poblano Chili with hearty beans, flavorful poblano and bits of sweet corn.
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Chicken
Keyword Chicken Recipes, Hearty Soup
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Soaking beans 1 day
Servings 8

Ingredients

  • 2 lb skin on chicken thighs
  • 1 tbsp bacon fat or vegetable oil
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 1 serrano pepper minced
  • 1/2 cup corn
  • 4 poblano peppers roasted, skin/seeds removed and sliced (can sub canned green chilies)
  • 1 lb dried navy beans, soaked overnight or about 4 cans navy beans, drained
  • 6 cups good chicken broth I use Better than Bouillon
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 can Muir Glen diced tomatoes
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped

Instructions

  • Brown chicken thighs in bacon fat or vegetable oil over medium high heat in your large soup pot. Transfer chicken to sheet pan and finish cooking in the oven at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until cooked through.
  • Saute onion, serrano pepper and red bell pepper in the same pot with the chicken drippings for 2 minutes.
  • Add remaining ingredients and simmer until chicken is cooked, about 45 minutes.
  • Removed chicken thighs from oven, remove skin and shred. Add shredded chicken to soup pot OR serve as a topping along with sour cream, avocado, tortilla chips and more fresh cilantro.

Classic Cottage Pie

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Classic Cottage Pie is made with spiced ground beef, tender carrots and peas. Topped with creamy potato cheese mixture and carrot tops.

Rich & Hearty ~ Classic Cottage Pie

Talk about easy! The Classic Cottage Pie checks all the boxes. Pantry recipe, YES. One pot meal, YES. Under 30 minutes, YES.

Budget friendly ground beef is browned with garlic, onion, smoked paprika and a pinch of red pepper flakes for added spice. The best part, though, are the creamy, cheesy mashed potatoes that are browned to perfection on top. Blending a creamy cheddar with a pungent Parmesan really adds flavor. If you have a few carrot tops, garnish the top for extra special presentation.

Classic Cottage Pie is made with spiced ground beef, tender carrots and peas. Topped with creamy potato cheese mixture and carrot tops.
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Classic Cottage Pie

Rich and savory cottage pie topped with creamy potatoes and filled with spiced ground beef, tender carrots and peas.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Irish
Keyword Irish Recipes, One Pot Meal, Pantry Recipes, Shepherd’s Pie, St. Patrick’s Day Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

Potato Topping

  • 4 russet potatoes peeled
  • 6 tbsp butter
  • 1/4 cup whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 1/2 cup medium cheddar cheese grated

Beef Filling

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 1/2 cup yellow onion diced
  • 1 cup carrot diced
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • 1 cube tomato chicken bouillon (Knorr's in Mexican section grocery)
  • 1/2 tsp beef 'Better than Bouillon' bouillon
  • 2 cups potato water
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Potato Topping

  • Place peeled potatoes in a pot of lightly salted cold water and bring to boil. Boil until fork tender. Reserve 2 cups of potato water. Drain and return to pot.
  • Using the tines of your fork, 'rice' the potatoes until fluffy.
  • Add butter and blend.
  • Add whipping cream and blend.
  • Fold in cheese and set aside.

Beef Filling

  • Brown ground beef in a large cast iron pan over medium high heat. Drain excess fat, leaving about 1 tbsp in pan.
  • Push ground beef over to one side of the pan. Add garlic, onion and carrot. Saute until almost tender. Add peas and combine with ground beef.
  • Add tomato chicken and beef bouillon, potato water and remaining spices. Simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Spoon potato mixture over top of beef filling. Broil until browned. Top with fresh carrot tops or parsley.

This Classic Cottage Pie can be reheated with ease! Just pop it in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until heated through. Serve with salad or fresh cheddar biscuits.

Make it Your Own

Add your favorite ingredients to make it your own. Here are a few ideas:

  • 1/2 cup corn
  • 1/2 cup mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup parsnip
  • Mix up the cheeses in the potato topping with sharp white cheddar or smoked cheddar.

More Recipes Like This:

Frijoles Charros

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Creamy, comforting Frijoles Charros with chorizo and bacon, topped with crispy tortilla strips and crumbled cotija cheese.

Charro Frijoles are creamy pinto beans are cooked with bacon and chorizo to get that smokey, spicy flavor and a mirapoix of celery, carrot and onion add a richness. Topped with crumbed cotija and crispy fried tortilla strips, you've got a family friendly meal in a bowl.
Creamy pinto beans cooked with bacon and chorizo, topped with cripsy tortilla strips and cotija cheese

You know the bean dip that you get at the local Mexican restaurant? Well, if you are anything like my family you devour it within minutes..and ask for more! These Frijoles Charros a.k.a. cowboy beans are reminiscent of those beans only made into a flavorful, filling soup. Perfect for these cold winter nights. Creamy pinto beans are cooked with bacon and chorizo to get that smokey, spicy flavor and a mirapoix of celery, carrot and onion add a richness. Topped with crumbed cotija and crispy fried tortilla strips, you’ve got a family friendly meal in a bowl. 

Frijoles Charros are creamy pinto beans are cooked with bacon and chorizo to get that smokey, spicy flavor and a mirapoix of celery, carrot and onion add a richness. Topped with crumbed cotija and crispy fried tortilla strips, you've got a family friendly meal in a bowl.
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Frijoles Charros

Creamy, pinto beans slow cooked with chorizo and bacon topped with crunchy tortilla strips and cotija cheese.
Course Appetizer, Soup
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Appetizers, Bean Dip, Game Day Food, Pinto Beans
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. bacon cut into lardons
  • 8 oz. chorizo ground
  • 2 cups yellow onion diced
  • 1 cup celery ribs and leaves, diced
  • 1 cup carrot diced
  • 1 tsp. garlic minced
  • 8 cups or 4 – 16 oz. cans pinto beans
  • ½ tsp. cumin
  • ½ tsp. oregano
  • ½ tsp. chili powder
  • ½ serrano pepper minced
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • Garnish:
  • Cotija cheese
  • Cilantro
  • Tortilla chips

Instructions

  • Heat a large cast iron or heavy bottomed pot over medium heat.
  • Brown bacon and chorizo, stirring continuously about 10 minutes.
  • Add onion, celery, carrot and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add beans, cumin, oregano, chili powder and serrano pepper.
  • Add broth and simmer over medium low heat for 45 minutes.
  • If desired, using an immersion blender, blend ¼ to ½ of the soup. This will give a nice texture to the soup, but is not necessary.
  • Garnish with cotija cheese, cilantro and tortilla chips.

Multi-Use Recipe

  • Frijoles Charros doubles as a dip! Perfect for #cincodemayo or #gameday or any other gathering of friends. This is perfectly dippable! Set it out aside your favorite guacamole and pico de gallo for a Mexican themed spread.
  • Make it extra cheesy! Top with shredded Monterrey Jack cheese and let it get all melty. Maybe add a few diced green chilies to the top.

Port Wine Braised Beef

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Tender Port Wine Braised Beef with pearl onions and carrots turns budget friendly chuck roast into a luxurious meal served over mashed potatoes.

Turning an inexpensive beef chuck roast into a luxurious dinner is just a few pantry items away. I always have a bottle of port wine on hand.  It doesn’t have to be expensive.  I buy the low cost kind from the local grocery store. Port wine can really take your sauces and braises up a notch or two.

I also always have Clamato juice on hand because I’m a lover of Bloody Mary’s and red beer. And that’s why Clamato juice is the “secret ingredient” in this Port Wine Braised Beef.  If you don’t have any on hand, just use either tomato juice or a little pureed tomato.  I feel like the tomato adds depth and balances the flavors.

Serve over mashed potatoes and let the juices swirl around…it’s so good!  Other serving options could be creamy polenta or buttered egg noodles. Sometimes I even add whole or halved mushrooms.  They act like a sponge and soak up all the yummy flavors. It’s up to you – Make it your own.

Beef Braised in Port Wine
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Port Wine Braised Beef

Tender, fall apart, beef chuck braised in rich port wine with carrots and pearl onions over creamy mashed potatoes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Beef
Keyword Beef Chuck, Beef Stew, Cooking with Wine
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 3 lb beef chuck roast cut into 4 inch long pieces
  • 1 tbsp flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp bacon fat or use vegetable oil
  • 3 carrots cut in half
  • 10 pearl onions peeled
  • 2 stalks celery cut in half
  • 1 tbsp fresh garlic minced
  • 3 cups ruby port wine
  • 1 pinch dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cup Clamato juice
  • 2 cups beef broth

Instructions

  • Season beef that has been cut in large pieces with salt and dust with flour.
  • Heat bacon fat or vegetable oil in a large pot over medium high heat.
  • Working in batches, sear all sides of the pieces of beef. Removing seared pieces to a bowl.
  • Add carrots, celery, pearl onions and garlic to the pot and stir.
  • Add port wine and scrape any browned pieces from the bottom of the pan. Return seared beef and juices back to pot.
  • Add remaining ingredients, reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered until fork tender, about 4 hours.
  • Serve in a bowl with mashed potatoes.

Related Recipes

Black Eyed Pea Soup

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Traditional Black Eyed Pea Soup is a New Year’s Day favorite combining hearty black eyed peas, collard greens and smokey bacon.

Our New Year’s Day tradition continues for over 20 years now with Black Eyed Peas Soup. Smokey bacon, creamy black eyed peas and ribbons of collard greens are sure to bring you a prosperous New Year! Legend says black eyed peas represent coins, collard greens are dollar bills and bacon, well, you’ve heard of the saying “cutting a fat hog”.

There are so many New Year’s traditions around the world. From eating 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight in Spain to hanging an onion on your door in Greece. Our Polish relatives may be following in their New year’s traditions by taking an ice bath before dinner and keeping fish scales in their wallet for the year.

Whatever your family tradition is, we leave the old behind and move forward into the New Year with a fresh start. I often sit in my teepee and let the bad release up through the top and into the sky, leaving room for all the new adventures of the coming year. Thank you for all of your support.

Traditional Black Eyed Pea Soup is a New Year’s Day favorite combining hearty black eyed peas, collard greens and smokey bacon.
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Black Eyed Pea Soup

Hearty black eyed peas and smokey bacon create a filling soup for the winter months.
Course Soup
Cuisine Soups, Stews, Chowders, Southern
Keyword Lucky Food, New Years Traditions, winter soup
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings 8

Ingredients

  • 4 slices good smokey bacon cut in lardons
  • 1 cup yellow sweet onion diced
  • 1/2 cup carrot diced
  • 1/2 cup celery diced
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 splash white wine
  • 4 15 oz cans black eyed peas drained
  • 6 cups good chicken broth
  • 1 Pinch parsley and thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cups collard greens chiffonade
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Parmesan for garnish

Instructions

  • Cook bacon lardons in a large medium high heat until fat is rendered and bacon is browned.
  • Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Saute over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until softened.
  • Splash about 1/4 cup white wine in the pot and cook until absorbed.
  • Add black eyed peas, chicken broth, herbs, collard greens, salt and pepper.
  • Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 45 minutes.
  • Add heavy cream.
  • Serve with Parmesan and garlic bread.

Notes

For creamier soup, remove about half of the soup and blend.  return to pot, then add cream.