The Best White Chili with Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried small white beans, Great Northern beans, or cannellini beans
• Kosher salt
• 2 fresh poblano chilies
• 4 fresh Anaheim or Hatch chilies
• 2 jalapeño chilies
• 1 medium onion, peeled, trimmed, and split in halt from top to bottom
• 8 medium cloves garlic
• 1 whole pickled jalapeño pepper, plus 2 tablespoons pickling liquid from the can
• 3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
• 1 quart homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 pound shredded pepper Jack cheese, divided
• 2 tablespoons fresh juice from 2 limes, plus 1 lime cut into wedges for serving
• 1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves, divided
• 4 to 6 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Put the beans in a large container and pour in 1 gallon (4 quarts) water. Stir in 1/4 cup salt until it dissolves, then cover and leave at room temperature for no less than 8 hours and no more than 24 hours. Drain the beans and rinse them well.
2. Move the broiler rack so it sits 8 inches from the heat source, then turn the broiler to high. Arrange the poblanos, Anaheims, jalapeños, onion, and garlic on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and use your hands to coat everything evenly, then sprinkle with salt. Broil, turning the peppers and shifting the vegetables around occasionally, until the pepper skins are charred on every side and wrinkled, 15 to 20 minutes total. Crimp the foil into a sealed packet around the chiles, and leave it closed for 5 minutes.
3. Pour the chicken stock into a large bowl and add the chiles. Working under the stock, pull off the chile skins and remove the seeds, leaving those skins and seeds in the bowl. Move the cleaned chile flesh to a hand-blender cup or an upright blender. Add the roasted onion, roasted garlic, and canned jalapeño, but not the jalapeño pickling liquid. Purée until smooth, then set it aside.
4. Set a large Dutch oven over medium heat and warm the remaining oil until it shimmers. Stir in the cumin and coriander and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chile purée and stir until it is worked into the spices. Strain the chicken stock into the Dutch oven, pressing the skins and seeds to get out as much liquid as possible, then discard the solids.
5. Add the soaked beans and chicken breasts to the Dutch oven. Pour in water as needed so the beans and chicken are fully covered. Bring the pot to a boil, then lower the heat to a very gentle simmer and cook, stirring now and then, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the chicken breasts reads 150 degrees F, about 15 minutes.
6. Lift the chicken breasts into a bowl and let them sit. Leave the broth and beans at a low simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beans are completely tender, about 1 hour total. Scoop out 1 1/2 cups of beans with some of their liquid and put them in a standing blender or the cup of an immersion blender. Purée until completely smooth, then stir the mixture back into the Dutch oven.
7. Pull the chicken into bite-size pieces and return it to the stew. Stir in half the cheese until it melts. Add the jalapeño pickling liquid, lime juice, and half the cilantro, then taste and adjust with salt.
8. Serve at once with scallions, lime wedges, the remaining cilantro, and the extra shredded cheese.