White Chicken Chili
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Made with a rotisserie chicken, this hearty white chicken chili is a one-pot meal that you can have on the table in under an hour.
White chili is a delicious variation of classic chili, featuring chicken or turkey and white beans in a savory broth base instead of the typical kidney beans and tomato base. This results in a lighter color and a more soup-like consistency compared traditional beef chili or chili con carne, while still delivering the same rich and comforting flavor.
I have tried countless recipes for white chicken chili over the years—from super-easy crockpot versions to more authentic, time-consuming ones made from a wide array of dried chili peppers and hominy. This recipe, adapted from Food Network, hits the sweet spot between ease of preparation and depth of flavor—and it’s my family’s favorite. Pair this hearty one-pot meal with warm, buttery cornbread, and you’ve got the perfect dinner ready in under an hour.
Table of Contents
“This was amazing! So easy and pleased the whole family. Simple with complex flavors and comes together in a snap. Great for a cold day or after a busy day at work.”
What You’ll Need To Make White Chicken Chili
- Canned White Beans: Add creaminess and a hearty texture to the dish.
- Chicken Broth: Provides the flavorful liquid base for the chili. Since canned beans are fairly high in sodium, using a low-sodium variety broth helps to keep the flavor of the chili from being overly salty.
- Onion and Garlic: These aromatic ingredients form the flavor base of the chili.
- Jalapeño Pepper and Poblano Peppers: These peppers add heat and a mild smoky flavor to the chili. Jalapeños provide spiciness, while poblanos offer a gentle kick.
- Spices (Cumin, Coriander, Ancho Chile Powder): The spice blend lends earthy, smoky, deep flavors to the chili.
- Rotisserie Chicken: Adds a convenient source of protein. Pro tip: shred the chicken as soon as you get home from the grocery store; it’s easier to do while the chicken is still warm, eliminates a step at dinnertime, and also takes up less room in the fridge.
- Corn: Adds a touch of natural sweetness and a nice textural contrast to the beans and chicken. Frozen corn is convenient and fine to use; if you’d prefer to use fresh, you’ll need one ear of corn.
- Fresh Lime Juice: Brightens the flavors of the chili.
- Cilantro: Adds a burst of herbal freshness and color to each serving.
- 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 you have a smooth purée. This is what will thicken the broth. Set aside.
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil and add the the onions and peppers.
Cook until soft, about 4 minutes, then add the garlic.
Cook a minute more, then add the spices.
Continue cooking for another minute to toast the spices.
Add the chicken broth, salt and puréed bean mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Stir in the shredded chicken, beans, corn, and lime and simmer until everything is warmed through.
You will notice that the chili is quite soupy. This is intentional. It thickens as it sits — in fact, if you make it ahead of time, you will likely need to add some broth or water to thin it out. Plus, I find that if the broth is too thick, the chili gets gloppy and unappealing. A soupy broth is good!
Serve with sour cream, lime wedges, shredded cheese and crushed tortilla chips.
Frequently Asked Questions
Poblano peppers are mild chili peppers with a subtle earthy flavor. They resemble green bell peppers but they are a bit darker and thinner with a pointy tip. They’re readily available in the produce section of most supermarkets, but green bell peppers are a suitable substitute.
Sure! You can use any leftover chicken, or my poached chicken makes a great substitute.
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 also be frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat it on the stovetop over medium-low heat until hot.
You May Also Like
- Chicken Chili with White Beans
- Texas Beef Chili (Chili Con Carne)
- Classic Turkey Chili
- Best Ground Beef Chili
- Chili Mac
Video Tutorial
White Chicken Chili
Made with a rotisserie chicken, this hearty white chicken chili is a one-pot meal that you can have on the table in under an hour.
Ingredients
- 2 (14.5-ounce) 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 (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 ½ of the beans (1 can) with 1 cup 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 chili 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
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Serving size: about 2 cups
- Calories: 465
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Sodium: 913 mg
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
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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Has anyone make this with ground chicken?
I used ground chicken, and it was good. just an FYI..Very good recipe!
Hi Jenn
I’m in the UK and finding fresh poblanos is impossible, can I substitute dried or tinned in the same quantity? Sounds fabulous can’t wait to try it
You could, but if you want to consider a fresh option, bell pepper will also work well as a substitute. Hope you enjoy it!
Really easy, quick and very good. Add a little more broth or less chicken
This is such a great recipe!!
Could I make this without beans?
Sure, Allison – feel free to add more vegetables if you like.
I thicken my white chicken chili with a few tablespoons of corn tortilla chips ground in the food processor. I like some fine like cornmeal and some in quarter-inch pieces. Plain cornmeal will work too.
Absolutely delicious! Easy and great comfort food on a cold snowy evening!
This recipe was delicious! While I’m sure that it is just as delicious exactly as written, I made a couple of substitutions because I didn’t have a few of the ingredients.
-I kept jalapeño seeds in for more spice (and just used regular chili powder)
-I used 1 green and 1 red bell pepper in place of two poblanos – again, I love poblanos but only had bell peppers on hand and it worked out great
-For the frozen corn, I already had in my freezer this roasted (charred) corn from trader joes, it definitely elevated the flavor
-After adding the broth, I added 2 raw chicken breasts which cooked while the soup was simmering. After about 15-20 minutes, I took them out, shredded, and returned to pot
-At the end, I stirred in 1/2 cup greek yogurt to make it a little creamy while still being healthy
I’m going to try your version, it sounds delicious!
Megan, thanks for your idea of using raw chicken breasts. I always think of rotisserie chicken as being very greasy so I followed your lead and this soup turned out awesome.
Jenn, your recipes are always my favorites!
Another winning recipe, Jenn! I took your White Chicken Chili to a neighborhood potluck and had lots of requests for the recipe. Among a sea of Red Chilis this one certainly stood out. It is so flavorful and filling and without the acidic bite of a tomato based chili. My new favorite!
Thanks for sharing this!
I made this chili with great success. I think my rotisserie chicken was larger than some so I felt it needed more chicken stock which I added at the end. I too like to have some broth in my chili. Otherwise, I did not make any changes.
Hi Jenn! I’m hosting a little party and need to double this recipe. Do you think it will fit in a 6qt Dutch oven or 6qt stockpot? Those are the largest ones that I have. Thanks!
Hi Jenn, I think it would be too tight – sorry!
Delicious. All I had was a red onion and I worried it would turn the chile brown, but there was no problem.
Another hit. Thanks Jenn!
I too am a chef, always looking for new recipes. This chicken chili is absolutely fantastic and full of flavour. I am such a fan of your recipes, they are carefully cooked, well thought out and always perfect! How wonderful to finally meet a chef with such skill! Your recipes are always a success! Thank you Jen!!
This is my go to white bean chicken chili recipe! Once again Jenn you got all the spices right and the flavor and consistency is just perfect I have been making this for years and it is always a big hit in my family! As always thank you, thank you, thank you!! Xoxo Jen Moore
Made as written. Did not care for this version and found I like my old recipe more.
It didn’t thicken much even the next day. If I made again would use less broth and definitely more heat.
This is the best chicken chili recipe I’ve ever seen. It’s thick with chicken and was easy to put together I’m kind of slow in cutting onions and other vegetables, so it takes me longer than most, but well worth it. The spices in the recipe were just right. My husband really enjoyed it too. Another superb recipe from Jenn!
Hi Jenn,
We can’t wait to try this recipe as we’re going to have a cold spell this week in Ireland. Wondering though, can we substitute chicken broth with water instead? Or would that be too bland?
Thanks!
Vanessa K
Hi Vanessa, I think this would be bland with water in place of the broth — sorry!
I’ve made this several times. It’s my go to white chicken chili now. I’ve made it exact, and I’ve made it with substitutions. Some things to note, depending on how salty your Rotisserie chicken is, you may want to hold back on the salt. I almost always put less. A can of potatoes instead of white beans is a great substitute for the pureed portion. I discovered this last night when I didn’t have enough beans. If you live in an area with a Goya section in your supermarket, buy a bottle of Recaito and add about 1/3 cup. It punches up the flavor quite a bit and works great it you don’t have fresh Cilantro on hand. You can also use 3 jalapeños if you can’t find poblanos. I just leave the seeds and ribs for one and de-seed the other two.
White Chicken Chili: Followed the recipe and it was delicious. Perfectly balanced and easy. Thank you … again.
So delicious! Quite easy overall and worth the effort. Delicious. IF you want it spicier, you can add more jalapeno in your bowl when serving. Thank you!
Followed recepie and I wasn’t a fan but I think it just wasn’t my thing. But my husband and 12 yr old daughter loved it. Infact she asks for it all the time. So for me it gets 5 stars and saved in the make again pile!!!
Love the bold taste of this chili!! I made this recipe exactly as written using Jenn’s recommendation in the comment section of chipotle chili powder instead of the hard to find ancho chili powder. It was my first time using Poblano peppers and I think they really gave this chili great flavor.
Hi Jen – could you tell me what kind of peppers are poblano? Also, would have liked a metric version of this recipe, but can’t see that. Will use your metric conversion page. Look forward to trying this.
Hi Andrea, Poblanos are mild peppers — they resemble green bell peppers but have a pointy tip. And I will add metric measurements to this one!
Thank you!!
My only complaint is this wasn’t enough for any leftovers! I put frozen chicken breast instead of rotisserie chicken in the bottom with 1/2 the cooking liquid. Then put everything else on top and cooked in the instant pot for 20 mins natural release then used a potato smasher to mush it a little and it was FANTASTIC!
This chili was great! I added a lot more chili powder and cumin, but stuck to the recipe other than that. Another winner, Jenn!
I made this for dinner last night, following the recipe. It was delicious! Thank you!
This is essentially soup. I noticed it was watery when I brought it to a boil but saw the note in the recipe that the chili would thicken as it sat. Never happened. I drained all the beans and corn, and followed the recipe to a tee. Flavor was fine.
Yum, yummy. My family (2 kids) and 2 adults, loved it. The only thing I had changed is I had lemon and no lime, but otherwise it was awesome. Served with avocado, scallions, more cilantro, cheddar cheese and tortilla chips. I also made whole grain biscuits using your best buttermilk biscuit recipe. A hit all the way around.
Approximately how many servings does this make? (Sorry if you provided this and I missed it!)
Hi Denise, It serves 4 to 6. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jen would it work with leftover turkey after T’Day? Or do you think it would be too dry/flavorless?
Hi Klaus, I think it would be a great way to use up leftover turkey and don’t think it will be too dry/flavorless. I’d love to hear how it comes out!
I make this every year with my leftover turkey and it’s great. It’s actually simmering right now,
I’ve made so many amazing recipes from you and this is definitely among my favorites. So perfect for these cold fall days and easy to make! Just made this and I have to say it’s even better the second day!! Love all your recipes!
Delicious. I like to make different recipes for Shabbat, not the same every week. My husband said this is a winner. Susan
Can you use chicken tenders and how to prepare them.
Thank you,
Ann
Sure, chicken tenders will work. I’d poach them using this guidance. Please LMK how it turns out with the tenders!
Love all your recipes! I came to your site to look for a recipe I could use to feed 35-40 people for a meal program at Kathy’s House (similar to Ronald McDonald houses). Any suggestions for changing the recipe to feed that many people, or should I just make 10x the recipe? I plan to buy already shredded rotisserie chicken from Costco and use a food processor to chop the onions. Are there any other recipes on your site that you think would work better for such a large group?
Hi Diane, No, I don’t think you need to make any modifications here except to make 10 batches of it! Both of your shortcuts (with the chicken and onions) sound like a good plan. I think this is a good choice to multiply (and my ground beef chili would work equally well. Hope everyone enjoys it — it’s a great cause you’re cooking for. 💗
We really enjoyed this. Easy to make, healthy and very tasty. Thank you 🙂
I love this recipe! Make it with ground chicken to save me even more time.
I don’t have any white beans. Can I substitute, Kidney and black beans?
Sure!
I have some dry beans that I’d like to substitute for the canned. How would you recommend using them? Thanks!
Hi Anita, Here’s some guidance on cooking dried beans. Hope you find it useful!
Thank you, Jenn! That was very helpful and I’m saving it for future reference. And thank you for taking the time out and answering questions! Can’t wait to try this recipe out now that the weather is finally cooling down in Texas!
Really awesome recipe Jenn, we loved it. Savory, spicy, (left a few pepper seeds in) and very filling. Thank you.
Wow! This was Delicious with a capital D! Super simple and quick and so flavorful. Thx for posting this. A new fave!
LOVE this chili! Ignore any ratings that say no flavor – there’s a ton in this chili/soup! I subbed shishito peppers, roasted the corn in the oven, and used better than bouillon because it’s my go-to for broth. I doubled the amount easily in my pressure cooker and topped with avocado and crispy hatch chiles from Costco. I will try bell peppers instead of corn next time as a veggie sub. New saved dinner recipe — thank you!!
Can you use regular chili powder instead of ancho chili powder? Would you use the same amount?
Thank you. I prefer not to add another spice to my pantry.
Hi Steve, If you happen to have it, you can use chipotle chili powder if you like heat — otherwise just use regular chili powder. Hope that helps!
I made this same recipe once before and had forgotten just how good it is. It’s a cross between a hearty soup and a chili.
I love your recipes, you keep them uncomplicated.
What size dutch oven did you use?
Hi, I used a 5.5-quart Dutch oven. 🙂
This is The BEST Chicken Chili I have ever tried! I added a bit more jalapeños and Pablano’s then recipe called for! was Delish!!
Could I make this with ground chicken? Thank you!
Sure. I’d season it with a little salt/pepper, saute it, and set it aside. Then add it back in when the chicken gets added to the recipe. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it!
I have loved every single recipe from this site and plan to by Jens book. However, this is the only one I did not love. I agree with the others who said it seems like something is missing. It was surprisingly lacking in flavor, not terrible, but underwhelming.
Shoot! I wish I had read this comment before making the soup. I agree 100%. The final result lacked any flavor. Just meh. Won’t make again.
Delicious! We plan on making this as part of our regular dinner rotation. Pretty easy and super tasty.
Hi Jenn!
Sorry if you have already answered this but will the chili freeze well? This is one of my sons favorite things (thanks so much!), and I want to make a batch to keep him well fed during fall sports. Any pointers or things to look out for?
Thanks so much!
Hi Sara, It does freeze nicely! See the bottom of the recipe for Freezer-Friendly instructions.
Great use for leftover rotisserie chicken! I roasted the poblanos and Jalapeno and roasted one ear of corn and scraped off the husk. So tasty! I served with cornbread and honey butter. Not a drop left!