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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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This is a wonderful recipe! I didn’t have coriander so I added some Sazon. Other than that I followed it exactly. It is easy and flavorful. I will make this again.
Do you think hominy would be a good substitute for the white beans? Thanks!
Hi Susan, I’ve never cooked hominy, so I can’t say for sure, but I think it should work. Please LMK how the chili turns out if you try it!
Hi – has anyone tried this with leftover turkey?
Hi Lisa, I haven’t done it myself, but some other readers have commented that they’ve successfully used leftover turkey. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it!
Like everyone else, I give this a 12. Very tired of rotisserie chicken flavor, so I air fried 3 boneless skinless thighs for 16 min then shredded. Excellent. Sadly I ran to Walmart to buy tortilla chips. Opened the bag and my favorite Tostitos cantina style were over fried . I called just before we ate to complain. I was telling the csr about the white chicken chili and gave her your website. “I use her recipes all the time.” So I thought you’d enjoy that. Lots of Jenn groupies out there. I always make half batches bc we’re not fans of leftovers.
Thank you, Chef Jenn. Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Jen – I love your recipes! Any advice when doubling this recipe to feed a crowd?
So glad you like the recipes! 😊
No real advice regarding doubling this aside from ensuring that you have a large enough pot to fit double the ingredients. Hope everyone enjoys!
Thanks Jenn,
Very nice flavors! We enjoyed this recipe and I will make it again soon. I like the brothy texture, reminded me of tortilla soup without the tomatoes. Next time I will add the jalapeño seeds for a little more heat.
This is SO good! I made it last night on the first rainy day in Los Angeles and it was perfect. I couldn’t find a pablano pepper so used a different kind– think it was pueblo, was mild like a green pepper and then the jalapeno. Also didn’t have ancho chili powder so used a combo of chipotle chili and regular chili powder. Got raves and sadly now not that much leftover for lunch today. I love to cook from the pantry and fridge and except for the chicken, you can do with this recipe. It will be forever something I make. Thank Jen!
Great flavor and so easy! I the recipe exactly and the texture and broth were perfectly in proportion. I will double the recipe next time for a crowd!
Can I use northern beans? or it has to be the kind of beans?
Northern beans are perfectly fine. Enjoy!
ANOTHER excellent recipe from you, Jen! I added extra corn because we love corn with out an issue. Love you recipes!
I made the chicken stock from the bones of the rotisserie chicken. The chili was a little soupy, so I added taco seasoning to thicken it a little. I found that if cooked too long (longer than the recommended 20 minutes), the heat from the chilis dissipates. This was a fabulous recipe and one I’ll be making a lot during the winter months. Thank you!