White Chicken Chili
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
Craving a lighter take on classic chili? This white chicken chili swaps out the usual ground meat and tomatoes for pulled chicken and white beans in a savory, flavorful broth—comforting and delicious in every way!
White chicken chili is a flavorful twist on a classic, made with pulled chicken and white beans in a savory broth instead of the usual ground meat, kidney beans, and tomato base. It has a lighter color and a more soup-like consistency than my traditional chili recipe, turkey chili, or chili con carne, but it still delivers the same comforting flavor.
I have tried countless white chili recipes over the years—from super-easy crockpot versions to more authentic, time-consuming ones. This recipe strikes the perfect balance between ease and depth of flavor—and it’s my family’s favorite by far. Pair this hearty one-pot meal with warm cornbread, and you’ve got a perfect dinner on the table 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 flavorful base of the chili. Using low-sodium broth keeps it from being overly salty when paired with canned beans.
- Onion and Garlic: The starting point for flavor.
- Jalapeño Pepper and Poblano Peppers: Add a mix of heat and smoky flavor. Jalapeños bring the spice, while poblanos provide a milder kick.
- Spices (Cumin, Coriander, Ancho Chile Powder): This earthy, smoky spice blend adds depth and warmth to the chili.
- Rotisserie Chicken: A quick and easy protein option. Pro tip: shred it as soon as you get home from the store; it’s easier warm, saves time later, and takes up less room in the fridge.
- Corn: Adds sweetness and texture. Frozen corn works perfectly, or use fresh if you prefer—one ear is enough.
- Fresh Lime Juice: Brightens the flavors of the chili.
- Fresh Cilantro: Adds a pop of freshness and color.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by combining half of the white beans in a food processor with one cup of the chicken broth. Process until smooth. This mixture will thicken the broth later.
Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven and add the the onions and peppers.
Cook until soft, about 4 minutes, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the spices and cook for another few minutes to toast the spices—this enhances their flavor.
Pour in the chicken broth, add the salt and puréed bean mixture, and give it a good stir. Bring it all to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
Stir in the shredded chicken, beans, corn, and lime, and let it simmer until everything is warmed through. The chili will be pretty soupy—that’s how it’s meant to be. It thickens as it sits, so if you’re making it ahead, you might need to add a splash of broth or water to loosen it up. A lighter broth keeps the chili from feeling too heavy.
Serve with sour cream, lime wedges, shredded cheese (Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Pepper Jack are all great options) and crushed tortilla chips. The chili keeps for up to 3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.
You May Also Like
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.
- Note: 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.)
- Note: 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.
- Note: Nutrition info does not include optional toppings.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: Yes, the chili will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Keep in mind that it will thicken up as it sits in the fridge. When you reheat it, you will likely need to add more broth or water to thin it out. The chili can be frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat it on the stovetop over medium-low heat until hot.
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.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Absolutely marvelous! The ONLY thing I think would make it better is to roast/grill the corn to enhance the sweetness and smokiness. Still very tasty with the frozen corn however. I don’t care for sour cream, so I added some avocado cubes on top of the chips in my bowl. So delicious!
I make this for my family at least once a month for dinner. It’s fabulous! I have had to double the recipe because everyone wants more the next day for lunch
Made this for lunch for my visiting in-laws and everyone loved it, even asking for leftovers the next day! Wonderful flavor and thank you for providing the best fail proof recipes! What a wonderfully presented website and it’s now a staple on my iPad on the kitchen counter to get me out of my recipe rut!
I cooked the white bean and chili recipe for a chili cook off at work and won second place! I did make a few substitutions, again because I didn’t have all the ingredients on hand. I used a can of mild diced green chilis instead of the peppers, and omitted the cilantro. Served with cornbread and rice. Very tasty, not too spicy and at the end of the lunch break, other chili entries were still there but my crock pot was empty:)
I love a good chili and I am telling you, this IS a 5-star recipe! Simple and easy to make and my husband and I both loved it! Perfect for a “chili” winter day!
Thanks, Chef! A real 5-star winner!
This is a great recipe, but we found a way to make it what we think is the best soup we’ve ever had. We could not find Ancho chili powder, so instead we bought Adobo sauce with c… peppers in the sauce (I forget the name of them). For a double batch, we cut up about 3 of the peppers and poured in about half of the adobo sauce (it’s a small can), and let it cook. AWESOME. And letting it sit overnight in the refrigerator makes the flavors even better.
I have never cared for White Chicken Chili ever. But since I have absolutely loved everything I have made on this website, I thought I would give this recipe a try. It was absolutely amazingly good. And believe me, compliments do not flow forth freely when it comes to food. But both my picky mother-in-law and picky husband loved it too.
I love this! The only change I would / did make is that I wanted it a little spicier so I added homemade pickled jalapenos into the bowls for me, but it was perfect as is for my tiny human!
This is the BEST chicken chili I have ever had the pleasure of eating. I’m extremely grateful I found this website! Not only was the recipe simple, it pleased my family for days. We enjoyed it as lunch for a couple days after the initial evening meal! =)
I’ve made this recipe three times now, and each time I serve it to my family, I practically get a standing ovation! It’s super simple to make, and I like how it comes together in no time at all. I served it with the pumpkin cornbread muffins on this site, and my family was in heaven!