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
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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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Wow, this was exceptionally good. This has been on my to-try list for ages, and the only bad thing is that it took me so long to get around to trying it. The recipe was really easy to follow and it tasted amazing. I’d give it 6 stars if I could and will definitely be making this again and again. This is going into my regular dinner rotation. Thanks, Jenn!
A bit over 4 months since I left this comment, and I have made this dish so much because it continues to be really easy and really tasty! It’s very forgiving for substitutions, which has been important lately when the stores have invariably been out of *something* I need — in different batches, I’ve replaced the whole white beans with black beans, and the jalapeño with chipotle chili powder. And if I don’t have a rotisserie chicken, I poach a couple of chicken breasts in a cup of the broth and shred them. I freeze leftovers in single portions, and they reheat well and taste just as amazing. I recommended this to my mum and got her hooked too. Thanks again, Jenn, for this winner.
Hi Jenn,
Could I add some of your salsa verde to this? I have a garden full of tomatillos!
Thank you for all your recipes!
Kristen Berry
Sure – that would be an interesting twist!
The soup was delicious and on the second night I added a cup of your salsa verde to it and it was wonderful! THANK YOU!
This recipe was so effortless and turned out so tasty!
I had to substitute the Poblanos peppers with Capsicum (ie Bell Peppers) because it was not available here in Australia. Highly reccomend this quick, easy, nutrition and tasty recipe. You never fail me, Jenn!
Another 5 star recipe that’s easy to prepare! Thanks again!
Really delicious and simple to prepare. Definitely a keeper!
Hi! What can I substitute if I can’t find poblano peppers?
Hi Ju, you can use bell pepper in place of the poblano. Hope you enjoy the chili!
My boyfriend who doesn’t like chili in general loves this recipe!!! He even fought over the leftovers for his lunch tomorrow. That’s how much he (and I ) like this. Cannot wait to make it again for friends and family. Thanks so much!
Jenn, your blog and cookbook are my new favs! My 4 kiddos and husband (and I!) have LOVED your recipes! And you make me look like a good cook. 😉 Thank you for sharing your culinary passion & giftedness with us!
About the white chicken chili recipe, I made it last night for the first time and it was a huge hit! So I plan to make it again this weekend for company, which will be a family of 7. For 13 people (4 adults + 9 kids), I’d like to make it ahead of time in several batches on the stove top and then reheat later. Would it work to triple the recipe the night before, store it in the fridge overnight, and then reheat it all together the next day in a crock pot? To ensure that it stays warm while being served? Or would the crock pot method make it mushy?
Thank you again for being such a blessing my family and me!
Glad you’re enjoying the recipes, Carrie! Yes, what you’re suggesting for the chili will work just fine. Hope everyone enjoys!
Another five star recipe we loved it and was very easy to make. Again thanks, Greg
This recipe is unbelievably delicious! I added an extra jalapeño and left seeds in because we like some heat. We had it for dinner last night and I couldn’t stop thinking about it so I’m now eating it again for breakfast:)
This is most definitely a keeper
This is very delicious! I made it a month ago and my picky son came with his friends tried it and my whole pot was gone. This morning my son woke up under the weather and asked if I can make it! I’m happy my son request something. So far every recipe of your has been a favorite! You are an excellent chef. Thank you Jenn.
💗
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.