White Bean Chicken Chili Freezer Prep
Make-ahead white bean and chicken chili designed for freezer storage. Combine raw ingredients in a gallon bag, freeze, then cook in a slow cooker from thawed or frozen state, or finish on the stovetop. Includes a seasoning mix packet for convenience.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized piecesboneless chicken thighssame weightpoultry
slightly more tender result
- 2 onion, chopped
- 2 4 oz canned green chilies
- 4 14.5 oz canned Great Northern beans, do not drain
- 1 Kitcheneez White Bean Chicken Chili mix
- 3 cup water, for cooking
Instructions
- 1
Label a gallon freezer bag with the recipe title and a note to add 3 cups of water when cooking
- 2
Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces
- 3
Chop onions
- 4
Combine chicken, onions, green chilies with liquid, beans with liquid, and seasoning mix in the freezer bag
- 5
Squeeze out excess air and seal
- 6
Freeze until ready to use
- 7
To thaw before cooking: refrigerate overnight in the sealed bag on a plate or in a baking dish
- 8
Transfer thawed contents to a slow cooker with 3 cups of water and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-5 hours
- 9
Alternatively, cut open the frozen bag and pour contents directly into a slow cooker with 3 cups of water and cook on low for 6-8 hours
- 10
Or cook stovetop: combine bag contents with 3 cups of water in a pot on medium-high heat, simmer, and stir occasionally for 45 minutes
Tips
Squeeze out excess air from the freezer bag to prevent freezer burn
Use a plate or baking dish under the bag during thawing to catch any drips
The frozen method skips the thawing step but takes the same cooking time
Good to Know
Freeze in sealed gallon freezer bag for up to 3 months
Prepare and freeze up to 3 months in advance
Top with sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, and/or avocado
Common Mistakes
Do not drain the canned beans to avoid losing flavor and texture
Do not skip squeezing out excess air to avoid freezer burn
Substitutions
slightly more tender result
adds fresher heat