White Chicken Chili
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This chicken chili is the kind of cozy, one-pot meal that works just as well for game day as it does on a weeknight. And the leftovers? Even better the next day.
If you’re looking for a change from traditional chili, white chicken chili is a great option. It’s made with pulled chicken and white beans in a savory, spiced broth instead of the usual ground meat, kidney beans, and tomato base. It’s a bit more soup-like than my classic beef chili recipe, turkey chili, or chili con carne, but it still delivers big flavor.
I’ve tried countless white chicken chili recipes over the years—from slow-cooker shortcuts to more authentic, from-scratch takes, and this one is the clear winner. It strikes the perfect balance between ease and depth of flavor—and it’s my family’s favorite by far. Using a store-bought rotisserie chicken keeps the prep simple without sacrificing taste. Serve it with homemade cornbread for a cozy, comforting dinner in under an hour.
“This was amazing! So easy and pleased the whole family.”
What You’ll Need To Make White Chicken Chili
- Canned White Beans: Add creaminess and a hearty texture to the dish.
- Chicken Broth: The broth base of the chili. Low-sodium keeps the dish from being overly salty when paired with canned beans.
- Onion, garlic, jalapeño pepper & poblano pepper: Sautéed at the start for a flavorful aromatic foundation.
- Spices (Cumin, Coriander, Ancho Chile Powder): This earthy, smoky spice blend adds depth and warmth to the chili.
- Rotisserie chicken, white beans & corn: the add-ins. Shredded rotisserie chicken is a major time-saver, but feel free to use any leftover chicken. White beans like cannellini, Great Northern, or navy add heartiness and thicken to the broth, and corn brings sweetness and texture (fresh corn is ideal but frozen works too).
- Lime Juice & Fresh Cilantro: Added at the end for brightness and fresh flavor. Feel free to omit the cilantro or substitute parsley if you’re not a fan.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. Purée half the beans. In a food processor, combine half of the white beans with 1 cup of the chicken broth. Process until smooth—you’ll use this mixture to thicken the chili later.
Step 2. Sauté the aromatics. Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions and peppers and cook until softened, about 4 minutes.
Step 3. Add garlic and spices. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the spices and cook a few minutes more to toast them and deepen their flavor.
Step 4. Add broth and thicken. Pour in the remaining chicken broth, salt, and the puréed bean mixture. Stir to combine, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Step 5. Stir in the add-ins. Add the shredded chicken, remaining beans, corn, and lime juice. Simmer until everything is heated through, then finish with the fresh cilantro. The chili will be brothy but thickens as it sits; you can add broth or water to loosen it up if needed.
Step 6. Serve. Ladle into bowls and top with sour cream, lime wedges, shredded cheese, and crushed tortilla chips. Leftovers keep for up to 3 days in the fridge. The chili keeps nicely for up to 3 days in the fridge; freeze for longer storage.
Pro Tip: Short on freezer space? Ladle cooled chili into a resealable zip-top bag, press out the air, and seal it flat. Once frozen, it stacks neatly like a file—perfect for squeezing into a packed freezer.
Video Tutorial
More Tex-Mex Recipes to Spice Up Your Dinners
White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 2 15.5-ounce (439-g) cans white beans, rinsed and drained
- 4 cups (1 L) low-sodium chicken broth, divided
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced (see note)
- 2 medium poblano peppers, seeded and diced (see note)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1½ teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
- Salt
- 1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed and shredded (about 4 cups)
- ¾ cup frozen corn
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, from one lime, plus more to taste
- ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro
Optional For Serving
- Sour cream
- Crushed tortilla chips
- Shredded cheddar or Pepper Jack cheese
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- In a food processor, blend half of the beans (1 can) with 1 cup (240 ml) of the chicken broth. Set aside both the puréed beans and the remaining whole beans.
- Add the oil to a large pot or Dutch oven and heat it over medium-high heat. Add the onion, jalapeño pepper, and poblano peppers and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute more. Add the cumin, coriander, and ancho chile powder and continue to cook, stirring frequently, for one minute more to toast the spices. Add the chicken broth, puréed beans, and ½ teaspoon of salt; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
- Stir in the shredded rotisserie chicken, reserved whole beans, corn, and lime juice; bring back to a simmer and cook until everything is heated through, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and lime juice, if necessary. Stir in the cilantro. (Note that the broth will be somewhat soupy -- that's how it is supposed to be. It thickens the longer it sits; see note below.) Ladle the chili into bowls and serve with sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, and lime wedges.
Notes
- The seeds and ribs in the peppers hold all of the heat. I don't use them to keep the chili mild and family-friendly, but if you like a spicy chili, save them and stir some in at the end. (If you do touch the seeds, be sure to wash your hands well and avoid touching your eyes.)
- The chili thickens as it sits. If you make it ahead of time, you will probably need to add more broth or water to thin it out.
- Nutrition info does not include optional toppings.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Excellent — fresh peppers are the stars in this recipe. Substituted a can of rinsed & drained black beans for one of the white bean cans.Very colorful & tasty.
I made this last night and it was delicious. I roasted my own chicken instead of a rotisserie and used frozen corn from Trader Joes. I couldn’t find poblano peppers at the store and just used a red pepper instead. I even added in one carrot to sneak in a little more vegetables for the kids. It was great!
I’m taking this most awesome chili to a chili cook off this Sunday. Do you think I should make it Sat night or Sun morning?
I’d make it Saturday night to let the flavors meld together. Hope the cook off is fun!
I just made this last night! My family loves the White Chicken Chilli and I make this year round. It is light enough to have throughout the summer and yet satisfying enough for a winter meal. I love the layers of flavor in this meal and it is healthy . I usually boil the skinless chicken breasts and then add.. Thank you .
Delicious, easy to make and tastes even better the next day! Plan to make this tasty chicken chile for Book Club! Perfect with corn bread!
Will this recipe work with leftover smoked turkey?
Absolutely – that sounds wonderful!
Would ground chicken work? I happen to have a ton of the stuff and would love to find a few uses for it – and your recipe would be ideal.
Thanks.
Hi Rob, unfortunately, I don’t think ground chicken is right for this recipe, but you could use some in this Chicken Chili with White Beans.
I just had the best chili I’ve ever eaten! Thanks for pointing me in the right direction and thanks for the incredibly awesome and simple Chicken Chili with White Beans recipe. AMAZING!!!!
I tried ground meat and I can confirm, it doesn’t work so well. Everything else was great, though — the broth had a nice layered and complex flavor. I couldn’t find ancho chili powder, but I did find dried ancho chilies. So, I ground them myself. It worked very well. I look forward to trying this as intended, with a rotisserie chicken.
I just found your response to my question regarding the pumpkin leek soup — since I’ve already made it (4 days ahead of time) I will freeze it rather than refrigerate it, according to your instructions, and will add some broth if it becomes too thick. Thank you for your advice! Now I need help on that kale, apple, pancetta salad question that I just sent to you. You are such a fantastic resource and are much appreciated!!
I have just finished preparing your pumpkin leek soup, which is delicious! I have refrigerated it until Thanksgiving. But I have a problem with another recipe. I am also making your kale, apple & pancetta salad for Thanksgiving, preparing the appropriate parts of the recipe ahead of time. I have cooked the pancetta & set it aside to re-crisp before serving. I have strained the pan drippings (which include that olive oil) and added the champagne vinegar, maple syrup, & salt & pepper. This is the dressing which is supposed to be tossed with the kale & apple before serving. I have tasted it, however, and it seems very greasy and tastes quite unpleasant, even though it includes those good ingredients. What has gone wrong? Please help! I will make the dressing over again if you can tell me what is amiss. Thank you very much!
Hi Toni, Did you whisk the dressing together well so that it emulsified, or is it separated?
This soup looks so good, as do all your
recipes. I’d like to use it as a first course for Thanksgiving — how far ahead can I make it? Is it possible to make it a couple of days (or more) ahead and then reheat it and add the garnish just before serving? for Thanksgiving dinner? Thank you for your wonderful website — it’s my very favorite!!
Hi Toni, It’s fine to make this recipe a 1-2 days ahead but keep in mind it will thicken up quite a bit in the fridge. To thin it out, just add a little more chicken broth and season again to taste.