Smoked White Chicken Chili

Step-by-step instructions.

1. Preheat and season

   • Preheat the Traeger or pellet smoker to 250°F.
   • Even out very thick ends of the thawed chicken breasts.
   • Pat dry and coat with half the olive oil.
   • Season with the measured kosher salt, one-third of the cumin, all the smoked paprika, garlic powder, and measured black pepper.
   • Toss the onion and poblano with the remaining oil in a shallow metal pan.
   • Tuck the garlic between the onion wedges.
   • Put the cream cheese in a separate small foil tray, uncovered and unseasoned.

2. Smoke chicken, vegetables, and cream cheese

   • Place chicken directly on the grates and the trays alongside it, protected from raw chicken drippings.
   • Start checking chicken at 45 minutes; allow roughly 60–90 minutes depending on thickness.
   • Remove each breast when its thickest part reaches 165°F.
   • Smoke cream cheese for 45–60 minutes, until soft and lightly colored, before a dry crust forms.
   • Smoke vegetables about 60–90 minutes until softened enough to chop; they finish cooking in the chili.

3. While everything smokes, prepare the base

   • While those ingredients smoke, drain and rinse the beans and measure the broth and chili spices. Drain and rinse canned corn if using.
   • In the Dutch oven, mash one-third of the beans with one-sixth of the measured broth (one can and ½ cup for the original batch). Stir in the remaining beans and broth, green chiles with liquid, corn, remaining cumin, oregano, and coriander.
   • Keep sour cream, cilantro, and toppings refrigerated until needed.

4. Finish the base while chicken rests

   • Raise the smoker to 350°F as the chicken and vegetables finish.
   • Rest chicken 5–10 minutes. While it rests, chop the smoked onion and poblano, mince the garlic, and stir them into the prepared chili base.
   • Chop or shred the chicken and keep covered with the cream cheese. Refrigerate if the wait will exceed 2 hours.

5. Simmer on the smoker

   • Put the uncovered Dutch oven on the grates and close the smoker lid.
   • Cook about 45–60 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes, until gently simmering and the vegetables are tender.
   • A heavy pot may take longer; follow the simmer and tenderness rather than time alone.
   • Add extra broth a little at a time if too thick.
   • While the chili simmers, shred topping cheese, chop cilantro, and cut lime wedges. Cut avocado close to serving.

6. Melt in smoked cream cheese

   • Mash or whisk the smoked cream cheese with a ladle of hot broth from the chili, then stir it into the pot.
   • Cook 10–15 minutes, stirring until creamy.

7. Add chicken last

   • Stir in chopped or shredded chicken and cook 5–10 minutes, just until hot throughout.
   • If the chicken was refrigerated, heat it to 165°F.
   • Avoid prolonged simmering so the lean breast meat stays tender.

8. Finish off the heat

   • Remove the Dutch oven and let bubbling subside.
   • Stir in sour cream, lime juice, and optional cilantro.
   • Adjust salt, pepper, and lime to taste.
   • Add broth if needed.
   • Serve with optional Monterey Jack, tortilla strips, avocado, cilantro, or lime wedges.