Old Ebbitt Grill's White Bean Chili

This is a faithful copycat of the white chili that’s been a fixture at Washington DC’s historic Old Ebbitt Grill. It breaks from the usual chili formula in two big ways: the beans are creamy white navy beans rather than kidney beans in a red sauce, and the chicken sits sliced on top instead of stirred in.

The beans start from dried, soaked overnight, which gives them a far better texture than canned. They simmer low and slow with bell peppers, onion, garlic, cumin and chili powder until soft, with chopped plum tomatoes added near the end so they hold their shape instead of melting away.

Meanwhile, bone-in chicken breasts get a chili-cumin-garlic rub and roast skin-on, which keeps the meat juicy and the seasoning intact. You slice it thin and fan it over a bowl of the beans.

A scatter of salsa, sour cream and fresh cilantro finishes it, with warm cornbread on the side for scooping.

Chef Tips

• Soak the navy beans overnight and simmer them gently. Rushing or boiling hard makes them split and turn mealy.
• Stir the tomatoes in only during the last 20 minutes so they soften without dissolving into the broth.
• Roast the chicken skin-on to lock in moisture and the spice rub. If you must use boneless breasts, grill them instead, since they dry out fast in the oven.

Variations

• Use canned navy or great northern beans to cut the cook time dramatically.
• Stir the sliced chicken into the beans for a more traditional, soupy white chicken chili.
• Add a diced jalapeno or a can of green chiles for more heat.