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This easy white chicken chili recipe is hearty, comforting, and packed with bold, savory flavor—perfect for game day or a cozy weeknight dinner.
This white chicken chili recipe is a favorite in my house, especially when the weather turns chilly. I’ve tried many versions of this dish—some were basically dump-everything-in-a-pot recipes, while others were far more complicated than they needed to be. This one strikes just the right balance: easy enough for a weeknight but with a few extra steps that build real depth of flavor.
Made with rotisserie chicken, creamy white beans, poblano and jalapeño peppers, corn, and warm spices, it’s hearty and full of flavor, with a squeeze of lime to brighten everything up. Puréeing some of the beans gives the chili a rich, creamy texture, while rotisserie chicken keeps the prep to a minimum. Best of all, it’s on the table in under an hour. Add a side of warm cornbread, and dinner is done!
“This was amazing! So easy and pleased the whole family.”
What You’ll Need To Make White Chicken Chili
- White Beans: Cannellini, Great Northern, or navy beans all work well. Some of the beans are puréed with the broth to give the chili a creamy, full-bodied texture without adding cream.
- Chicken Broth: Forms the savory base of the chili. I recommend low-sodium broth so you can control the seasoning, especially since canned beans can add quite a bit of salt.
- Onion, Garlic, Jalapeño & Poblano Peppers: These aromatics form the flavor base of the chili. Removing the seeds and ribs from the peppers keeps the heat mild and family-friendly.
- Cumin, Coriander & Ancho Chile Powder: This combination gives the chili its warm, earthy, and gently smoky flavor. Ancho chile powder is made from dried poblano peppers, so it adds more depth than heat.
- Rotisserie Chicken: A major time-saver that makes this chili easy enough for a weeknight. You can also use leftover cooked chicken.
- Corn: Adds a touch of sweetness and a nice pop of texture. Frozen corn is convenient and works beautifully here.
- Lime Juice & Fresh Cilantro: Stirred in at the end, they add freshness and acidity that balance the rich, savory broth. If you don’t care for cilantro, you can leave it out or substitute parsley.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make White Chicken Chili
Purée some of the beans: Blend some of the white beans with chicken broth until completely smooth. This is the secret to giving the chili a creamy, full-bodied texture without adding cream or flour.
Sauté the aromatics: Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven and cook the onions and peppers until softened.
Add garlic and spices: Stir in the garlic, followed by the spices, and cook until fragrant. Toasting the spices briefly brings out their flavor.
Build the broth: Add the chicken broth and puréed beans, stirring until smooth. Simmer until the flavors meld and the broth develops some body.
Finish the chili: Stir in the chicken, whole beans, corn, and lime juice and cook just until everything is warmed through. Add the cilantro at the end. The chili will be somewhat brothy at first and will thicken as it sits.
Serve: Ladle the chili into bowls and add your favorite toppings—I like sour cream, shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, and a squeeze of lime. If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, they’re even better the next day; the chili can also be frozen for longer storage.
Make-Ahead & Freezing Instructions
The chili will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It will thicken as it sits, so you may need to add a splash of broth or water when reheating it. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve, warm it on the stovetop over medium-low heat until heated through.
How To Adjust The Heat
I remove the seeds and ribs from the peppers to keep this white chicken chili mild and family-friendly. If you prefer a little more heat, save some of the seeds and ribs and stir them in at the end, adding a little at a time until the chili is as spicy as you like. Just be sure to wash your hands well after handling the peppers, and avoid touching your eyes.
Video Tutorial
White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 2 (15.5-oz) cans white beans, rinsed and drained
- 4 cups 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
- 4 cloves garlic, 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 1 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.) Ladle the chili into bowls and serve with sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, and lime wedges.
Notes
- 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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Being culinary trained, I perused the ingredients and decided to give it a try. I turned this version into a soup, due to having a family of four with friends. I added the chicken carcass from the rotisserie to the pot of stock, added water and reduced to 2/3rds, removed the bones, added a 1/2 cup of half and half and thickened with a corn starch slurry. Finished with a soaked, cooked bag of dry Great Northern White beans and frozen corn. Served with shredded Colby cheese, dollops of sour cream and yellow corn tortilla chips. It was arguably one the best we’ve ever had.
Excellent recipe, added crushed red pepper as we like spicy food! Everyone said it was a keeper.
Easy and delicious! I bought the groceries after work and made it. My husband and I found it very satisfying. I saved the lime juice until the end.
Hi Jenn, I love this recipe and make it often for my family. I have a big amount of family coming in. Could I double this recipe to feed them?
Glad you like it! And, yes, it would be fine to double. 🙂
This is a favorite at my house. So easy and delicious!
I’ve tried a lot of green chili recipes and this one is a winner. We increased spices and salt since more broth was needed to accommodate extra chicken, and per our usual practice with soup and chili, let it sit in the fridge for a day to let the flavors come together. Really delicious. Thank you, Jenn!
How do you think this would turn out with left over turkey and turkey broth made from the carcass?
I think it would be good and a great way to use up turkey!
This is amazing! The warm deep flavors of the spices, peppers and onions are brightened with the splash of lime and sprinkle of cilantro! I have made this recipe about a dozen times and don’t need to change a thing. Thank you for sharing consistently great recipes and tips. Love the beef barley soup recipe in your cookbook too!
This is the ONLY recipe from this website (and I’ve tried A LOT of them!) that I didn’t like. I found it bland and lacking body. Oh well… can’t all be zingers!
Must rate again! Super with the leftover turkey too. My hubby loved it with a turkey sandwich – this is the first year I used up all my leftover turkey. So good!