White Chicken Chili  Recipe (2024)

By Lidey Heuck

Updated Oct. 12, 2023

White Chicken Chili Recipe (1)

Total Time
50 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Rating
5(4,941)
Notes
Read community notes

This easy chili comes together quickly, thanks to rotisserie chicken or leftover roast chicken and an ingredient list that leans heavily on pantry staples. Made with canned chiles and seeded jalapeños, this chili has a mild heat that can be intensified with the addition of ground cayenne, or by leaving the seeds in the jalapeños. While some white chili recipes call for cream cheese or sour cream to thicken the broth, this one achieves a similar texture by mashing some of the white beans. If you prefer a creamy chili, feel free to stir in a large spoonful of sour cream just before serving. Or, include sour cream with a host of toppings — including crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheese, diced avocado and pickled jalapeños — to make this chili a customizable family favorite.

Learn: How to Make Chili

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • 2tablespoons olive oil
  • 1large yellow onion, chopped
  • 1large jalapeño pepper, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped
  • 2tablespoons minced garlic (about 5 cloves)
  • 1teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½teaspoon sweet paprika or chili powder
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper, to taste
  • 1teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste (such as Diamond Crystal)
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • 4cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2(15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2(4-ounce) cans diced green chiles
  • 2½ to 3cups cooked shredded chicken (from 1 roast chicken or rotisserie chicken)
  • 1cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
  • Half a lime, plus lime wedges for serving
  • Shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, pickled jalapeño slices, diced avocado, sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro and crushed tortilla chips, for serving (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

439 calories; 18 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 45 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 28 grams protein; 1071 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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White Chicken Chili Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeño and cook, stirring often, until the onions are tender, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, cumin, paprika, cayenne, salt and a few grinds of black pepper, and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.

  2. Add the chicken broth, cannellini beans and diced green chiles with their liquid; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the broth has reduced by about half, 18 to 20 minutes. Off the heat, use a wooden spoon to mash some of the beans against the side of the pot. Continue mashing the beans until the broth is noticeably thicker.

  3. Step

    3

    Return the pot to medium, stir in the chicken and corn, and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Juice the lime half over the pot, then taste for seasonings and add more salt, black pepper, and cayenne, if desired.

  4. Step

    4

    Serve the chili in bowls topped as you like with a lime wedge, shredded cheese, pickled jalapeños, diced avocado, sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro, and/or crushed tortilla chips.

Ratings

5

out of 5

4,941

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Maggie B

I used chicken breasts with the bone and skin on to make to soup base. Just cook until tender, remove from heat and cool. Remove the bones and skin and shred the chicken to proceed with the recipe. Sometimes I also add a can of pinto beans or black beans along with the cannellini beans, which adds a bit of color to the white chili. It is delicious served with crushed tortilla chips, sour cream, and /or lime and cilantro.

Chris Cooks

I have been making a vegetarian version of this for years and it is a family favorite at gatherings! I always use 2 different kinds of white beans and hominy. It is so versatile—in the winter I cook it in my instapot and soak and cook dried beans and hominy. In fall I add freshly roasted hatch green chillies, roasted tomatillos and zucchini. Camping or river rafting in summer time I use all canned ingredients and add salsa verde and make it the last night out. Fresh squeezed lime is essential!

Richard

Brown the ground chicken in the Dutch oven (or whatever pot you are using) after Step 1. Then proceed with the recipe.

Athena61

Delicious. Poached boneless skinless chicken breast in chicken stock. Once cooked, strained the broth to use in the chili. Used fresh corn and roasted in a dry skillet until charred. Added 1 diced red pepper and sautéed with the diced onion. Added 1 can of drained and rinsed beans but added a second can of beans without draining. Adjusted spice level to our liking.

PF

This chili is perfection. Lovely combination of flavors and textures. Huge hit in our house. Bonus: easy recipe! This goes into the regular rotation.

Rosanna M

A very versatile, tasty dish that really could be made in under an hour. Winning side accompaniments for us included chopped onion, shredded cheese, extra lime wedges and crumbled cheddar crackers. One successful substitution I made was to swap out the canned chiles in favor of a cup and a half of spicy green salsa. A great way to use up the salsas I make plenty of this time of year.

Molly

So good!! One of those rare recipes with an amazing effort-to-taste ratio. Comes together quickly since it's mostly pantry staples. Highly recommend adding avocado for more creaminess, crushed tortilla chips for salt and crunch, and a generous squeeze of lime to round it all out.

BCE

Always use a can of white beans to thicken soups and stews so don’t have to use cream. Use immersion blender with a little broth. Then make soup per recipe. I use instapot for broth. Put in rotisserie chip carcass, fill to max line with water. Hit soup button, instant stock. I freeze in ziplock bags in 2 cup or 1 cup portions and stack in freezer.

murphy

Sub 12 oz bottle of Mexican lager for some of the chicken broth. Serve with lime wedges.

Richard

This turned out kind of soupy (but delicious). Next time I’ll use less broth, or more bans.

Linda

Slow cooker suggestion: if using fresh or even frozen chicken breasts, no need to precook. Simply place them whole at bottom of crock, pour other ingredients over and cook 4 to 5 hours on High. They’ll poach with all those good spices. At the end, remove chicken into a bowl and shred with two forks, then add back in. Also, couple of medium-sized potatoes diced in 1-inch chunks makes a great addition to this chili.

Shelley M. Gordon

I used kernels from 2 ears of fresh corn to the recipe. I added corn last minute so it stayed crunchy. Great texture contrast to the rest of the ingredients and delicious!

Joseph Korona

Great flavor with sweet paprika. I poached a breast and used the liquid from that with a little "better than bullion".

Jeff A.

Don't think this would feed 6, maybe 3-4 with a salad and bread.Cooked a chicken breast right in the pot during the simmer and then pulled out and shredded to add back, so easy that way.Didn't add any of the chilies due to family taste buds, but added a bag of spinach like someone suggested.Definitely starts a bit soupy but keep smashing the beans against the side and will thicken up nicely.

alex

Delicious and really easy to improvise and not screw up! I had some bacon, kale, and black eyed peas that I wanted to get rid of, so I threw those in and it was amazing!

Carolyn

Always good. This last time I grabbed diced jalapeños instead of chilis. Wooh, that brought some heat. I won't do it again, but it was pretty amazing.

Jim

Yum! I made this as written. Cooked everything in the morning but stopped before adding the chicken and put it in the fridge for the day. Just before dinnertime I reheated and added the chicken and lime. I used a tbsp of chipotle chili powder (in place of 1 tsp paprika/chili powder) and skipped the cayenne pepper and it had a nice medium amount of heat - I offered hot sauce for people who like extra. Tortilla chips, sour cream, avocado and tomatillo salsa as add ins. I wouldn’t change anything.

Servings?

This recipe tastes so good! What I was confused about was the serving size. It says it serves 4-6 but we had 6 cups between the 3 of us and we still had about the same amount left! How big is a serving according to the recipe?

Carolyn

Made this for the third time but accidentally bought dived jalapeños, not chilis. The finished product brings heat but it was great! I won’t do this again but what fun.

HC68

Made with 1 lb ground turkey. Add after cooking onions and jalapeño. Used 1.5 times broth and beans.

Judy t.

Is this recipe freezable?

shalista

Excellent. Made as written no changes. Will definitely go into rotation.

Ann Marie

I skipped the salt and tortilla chips to substitute fritos.

Mary

MMM...Love this chili. I added a 1/2 of a large red bell pepper as I thought it needed some color. Then I had some celery and finely chopped it up and tossed it in as well. It is such a great recipe!

Nancy O.

This can be done in the crockpot. Add sliced carrots for more veggies.

Wende G

I Love this easy and flavorful recipe! Have made it so many times.

Lindsay

Used 1 can of beans. Instead of mashing the beans, I added 1/3 of the beans with some broth to a blender and then poured back into the soup. Used only a 1/2 tsp salt

Ken

Consider adding a can of cheap beer (Modelo, Bud) as part of the liquid. Like spice? Double-down on the peppers with a sliced habanero and a few more Serrano and jalapeños.

Judy t.

Would this recipe be freezable?

VicinNY

Where do I find canned chilis? And what kind of chili is in a can of chilis? I did find a glass jar of jalapeños (brand name: Mezzetta) but it was 16 oz.

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White Chicken Chili  Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my white chicken chili not thick? ›

Simmer the chili longer: The longer you simmer the chili, the thicker it will be. Keep simmering until the desired consistency is reached. Add more beans: Mash another can of cannellini beans with a potato masher, then stir it into the chili.

What is white chili made of? ›

White chili is made with white beans, chicken (sometimes pork), and mild green chiles. (That said, if you must, must have scorching heat in your chili, there are ways to do that while still keeping the chili white.

How to thicken white chicken chili without cornstarch? ›

Cornmeal: Add a tablespoon of cornmeal or masa harina while stirring continuously. Mashed Beans: Mash a portion of the beans and stir them into the chili to thicken it. Crushed Tortilla Chips: Crushed tortilla chips can also be added as a thickening agent.

How can I make my white chicken chili less spicy? ›

You can also stir in dairy like yogurt, sour cream, milk (only if the dish isn't sour, or it will curdle), buttermilk, or kefir into a dish; the capsaicin will bind with the milk proteins instead of the nerve receptors in your mouth.

What is the best way to thicken white chicken chili? ›

How do I thicken white chicken chili? There are a couple of ways to thicken chili. The easiest method is to add a thickener like cornmeal, masa harina, or even polenta. These will need to simmer for a several minutes in the liquid in order to absorb moisture from the soup and thicken.

What is a thickening agent for white chili? ›

Cornmeal is one of our go-to thickening agents for chili. Unlike all-purpose flour, this Southern pantry staple adds a subtle earthy flavor to the chili in addition to thickening it up. You can use white or yellow cornmeal that is fine to medium-grain.

Are cannellini beans the same as navy beans? ›

Cannellini beans are the largest of the group and because of their traditional kidney shape, they can also be referred to as White Kidney Beans. Meatier than Navy or Great Northern beans, they have a nutty, earthy flavor and tender flesh, and are often used in Italian dishes like Minestrone.

Why put sour cream on chili? ›

For an extra tangy, rich bite, incorporate a dollop (or five) into your batch. This is already common practice in many white chili recipes (which, ironically, are often made with green chiles), but a dollop of stirred-in sour cream can benefit red chili, as well.

What is the purpose of vinegar in chili? ›

With only about 1 tablespoon per pot added toward the end of the cooking process, the vinegar will make the flavors more vibrant without overwhelming the dish with its biting tang. Through just a splash, everything becomes a little brighter, and the chili's flavors are more balanced.

Does tomato paste make chili thicker? ›

Depending on the concentration of your tomato paste, add 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup more, stir, and cook on medium for 30 minutes more. The resulting chili should be richer, tangier-tasting, and thicker. Mash some beans.

When to add beans to chili? ›

You know the saying, “save the best for last?” To keep your beans nice and plump, add them about 20 minutes before you finish cooking. This will give them plenty of time to impart that perfectly seasoned chili flavor to your recipe without overcooking.

Should chili be thick or soupy? ›

Chili should be thick and hearty enough to be a meal on its own, but sometimes there's just a bit more liquid than you want in the pot. While you can simply keep simmering the chili, that method risks overcooking softer ingredients like the beans, losing all your nice texture to mushy monotony.

What if I put too much cumin in chili? ›

Acidic ingredients like lemon juice, lime juice, or vinegar can also help counteract the excessive cumin flavor. The acidity brings a tangy and fresh element to the dish, balancing out the dominant cumin taste. A squeeze of lemon or a drizzle of vinegar can work wonders in mellowing down the cumin's intensity.

How long does white chicken chili last? ›

Generally, leftover chili, whether it's a spicy stew of chili con carne, a simple white bean chicken chili, or even a meatless chili with kidney beans, will last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

Can I use flour to thicken white chicken chili? ›

Whisk together milk (any kind) and flour (gluten free, if you need it!) in a small dish then pour into the chili and stir to combine. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes. This will give the chili just a touch of velvety thickness.

Why is my white chicken chili watery? ›

This can be the result of: Adding too much stock, broth, or water. A base of beef broth, chicken broth, or stock (and occasionally water, milk, or cream), sets the tone for most chili recipes. If your chili looks watery, you may have poured in more than required.

How do you thicken white turkey chili? ›

To make your turkey chili nice, thick and creamy, I suggest blending cornstarch with your choice of cream, mixing it into the white chili, then adding the rest of your cream.

How do I make my chili more soupy? ›

Add more water or tomato sauce if it's too thick. Keeping the lid on can keep the steam in resulting in thinner chili. Also, if I cook chili in the crock pot it is usually thinner, as the lid collects the steam rather than it evaporating.

How to make sauce for chicken thicker? ›

Use one tablespoon cornstarch mixed with one tablespoon cold water (aka a cornstarch slurry) for each cup of medium-thick sauce. Thoroughly mix the cornstarch and water together, then pour into your sauce. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.

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