White Chicken Chili
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White chicken chili is an easy, year-round favorite with a deeply flavorful base and hearty ingredients. It’s satisfying, full of flavor, and it while it feels every bit indulgent it’s not at all too rich and makes a great weeknight dinner or Sunday supper! Recipe includes a how-to video!
Chicken Chili Recipe
White chicken chili is the chicken-based cousin to my classic chili recipe. It’s made with pre-cooked chicken (grab a rotisserie chicken or use up your holiday leftovers!) and white beans, and it’s packed full of flavor! The best part? The creamy texture is made WITHOUT any heavy cream! Here’s how I do it.
The technique is similar to the pureeing that I do in both my corn chowder and my potato soup, but rather than pureeing a large portion of the finished soup, we’ll start by pureeing two of our base ingredients. For this recipe, you’ll puree together part of your white beans with a bit of chicken broth. We’ll stir this back into the mix later on in the recipe, and voila! A creamy texture without any cream. It’s magical! ✨
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Creamy base that’s not too heavy or rich (thank you, blended beans!).
- Ready in under an hour! And quite a bit of that time is just spent simmering, making this a great, low-maintenance weeknight dinner (one of my favorites, next to my bbq chicken meatballs).
- Packed full of flavor from ingredients like jalapeño, diced green chilis, lime juice, and plenty of spices.
- Great for using up leftover chicken! You can also pick over a rotisserie chicken or use my super simple crock pot shredded chicken (highly recommend! 👌🏼).
Ingredients
It may look like a lt of ingredients, but most of them are spices. Don’t be overwhelmed! I’m sure most of them are already in your pantry.
- Chicken broth (or use my homemade chicken stock). I do not used a reduced sodium broth for this recipe. If you choose to do so, I recommend taste testing as you go to make sure your white chicken chili has enough flavor. If it tastes bland, you simply need more salt!
- Beans. Use cannelini beans or white kidney beans. You’ll need two cans; we’ll blend half of the first one with some of the chicken broth to create a creamy base, and then we’ll add the rest in later.
- Spices. Including cumin, onion powder, ancho chili powder (a favorite spice of mine, I use it in everything from chili to taco soup), cayenne pepper, and black pepper. If you don’t have any ancho chili powder, then you can use regular chili powder and a dash of smoked paprika. I do recommend trying to find the ancho chili powder though–it adds such a nice flavor!
- Diced green chiles. I use mild diced green chiles, but you can use the hot version if you like. You can also use the fire roasted diced green chilis–I use them in my taco soup recipe, vegetarian chili, and turkey chili for an extra kick of flavor, they really make a difference!
- Sour cream. We’ll stir this in at the end for a bit of creaminess. Full-fat greek yogurt could also work in a pinch, but sour cream is best.
SAM’S TIP: Feel free to adjust the spice level to your liking and add more cayenne pepper (or a few jalapeno seeds) if you like your white chicken chili to be on the spicy side. A dash of hot sauce just before serving is also a great idea! 🌶️ Alternatively, reduce or leave out the cayenne entirely if you’re not a fan of heat or are serving to kids.
This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make White Chicken Chili
- Blend half a can of the beans and ½ cup of chicken broth until smooth, then set this aside. This will create our creamy base without the need for any heavy cream (save this for slightly more indulgent soups like my creamy chicken noodle soup).
- Sauté the onion and jalapeño in olive oil and butter until softened, then add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Add the pureed mixture, the rest of the broth and beans, and all remaining ingredients (except the sour cream). Let this come to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Stir in the sour cream until incorporated.
- Let simmer for 15 minutes, then ladle into bowls. Top with your favorite toppings (suggestions below!), and enjoy.
SAM’S TIP: If you want to add tortilla strips to your soup, then consider making the homemade version from my chicken tortilla soup! They are seriously so simple to make at home.
Frequently Asked Questions
This chili tastes great on its own, but I like it even better when topped with tortilla chips, shredded cheese, jalapeno slices, cilantro, and a heaping dollop of sour cream. Add-ons are everything!
As far as sides go, sourdough bread, buttermilk cornbread, jalapeno cornbread, cheese scones, cornbread biscuits, or garlic cheese biscuits would be tasty pairings.
Yes you can! Make sure to store it in an airtight container and enjoy within three months. I usually thaw overnight in the fridge before serving, or you can reheat from frozen over low heat on the stovetop.
I haven’t tried this, but I think it could work with some modification. You will want to follow steps 1-3 before transferring the chili into the crockpot.
Enjoy!
What to Serve with Your White Chicken Chili:
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White Chicken Chili
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 15 oz cans (850 g) Cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
- 3 cups (709 ml) chicken broth
- 3 ¾ cups (465 g) shredded chicken, see note
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon salted butter
- 1 medium (140 g) yellow onion, diced, (about 1 heaping cup)
- 2 Jalapeno peppers, seeds removed and finely chopped (about 3 Tablespoons)
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 7 oz can (198 g) diced green chilis, (I use mild)
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ancho chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup (115 g) sour cream
- additional sour cream, corn chips, Monterrey Jack cheese, chopped cilantro, and/or jalapeno slices for topping, optional
Instructions
- Place half a can of cannelini beans (about ¾ cup) and ½ cup of the chicken broth in a blender and puree until smooth. Set aside.
- Combine olive oil and butter in a soup pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Once butter has melted, add chopped onion and jalapeno and cook until softened (about 3-5 minutes)1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1 Tablespoon salted butter, 2 Jalapeno peppers, 1 medium (140 g) yellow onion, diced
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- Add cumin, onion powder, ancho chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper and stir well.2 teaspoons cumin, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon ancho chili powder, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Add pureed bean mixture to pot along with the remaining chicken broth and the remaining beans, then add chicken, chilis, and lime juice. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer.3 ¾ cups (465 g) shredded chicken, 1 7 oz can (198 g) diced green chilis, 1 Tablespoon lime juice, 2 15 oz cans (850 g) Cannelini beans
- Stir in sour cream.½ cup (115 g) sour cream
- Simmer 15 minutes before serving, topped with additional sour cream, jalapeno slices, monterrey jack cheese, chopped cilantro, and crushed corn chips.additional sour cream, corn chips, Monterrey Jack cheese, chopped cilantro, and/or jalapeno slices for topping, optional
Notes
Shredded chicken
You can use between 3 and 4 cups of shredded chicken. You may use rotisserie chicken, leftover chicken or shred your own chicken breast (or thighs, or a blend of both!) in the crock pot or instant pot. If shredding your own chicken, start with 1 1/2 lbs (680g) of chicken breast (before cooking).Storing
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
I originally published this recipe in February of 2018. I’ve updated the post to include more helpful tips and to add a recipe tutorial, but the recipe itself is unchanged (other than minor clarifications in the recipe — the ingredients and technique remain the same!).
I made this a day ahead then slowly reheated. It was so savory with the right amount of heat. I added to my favorites list!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Terri! 🙂
Thank you for the delicious recipes and for adding the step by step instructions, along with the ingredients in the steps, very helpful, very-very appreciated..
We’re glad you enjoy the recipes and instructions, Deborah! Thank you for trying this recipe! 🙂
Hi Sam, is there anything I can add to make it thicker?
You can simmer it a bit longer to help thicken it more. 🙂
I made this tonight and was worried the jalapeño would be too hot but it wasn’t at all! I think I may have been a little stingy and could have put some more beans in the puree and will next time to see if it thickens a tad more, but flavor was amazing and my 7 year old ate the whole bowl! Will absolutely make again.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Jane! 🙂
Absolutely fantastic! My daughter is a picky eater but I had to stop her from eating it all. Thank you
I’m so glad it was such a hit, Daniel! 🙂
I made this exactly as described other than using hot chiles and leaving the seeds of the jalapenos in. It was easy and wonderful! Thanks for another keeper for our dinner rotation!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Cat! 🙂
Made this tonight for dinner. I didn’t have fresh jalapeños so used two tablespoons of canned. Plenty hot enough. Served with homemade sourdough cheese bread. Delicious
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Susan! 🙂
Sam let me start by sating whenever I’m out (away from home and my trusty recipes), I always go to your website. Your recipes never let me down.
I made this White Chicken Chili this afternoon and it is delicious. I am a spice weenie so I was a little worried. I only used one jalapeño (remember spice weenie here) but otherwise followed the recipe and it is delicious. I added chopped cilantro and served with Fritos.
I had a white chicken chili recipe that I’ve used for years, my husband asked that I retire the old one and keep this one. 😊
Thank you for always having recipes that never disappoint!!!
Thank you so much, Stephanie! I’m so glad you trust my recipes so much and I’m glad that this was one was such a hit! 🙂
I’ve been lacking on submitting my reviews, but not on trying your amazing recipes. This one will absolutely be a regular in our household. per my husband “Don’t make any other kind of chili”.
😆 Sounds like he enjoyed it! Thanks so much for trying our recipes, and we always appreciate the reviews too!
I feel like the chick in Julie and Julia 😂🥰
Five stars. Delicious! Love love love!
Amazing – I was hesitant to make because I always felt this dish ~appeared~ flavourless. But really nice flavours, complex and delicious!!! Thanks for sharing this 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Jillian! 🙂
just made this and my husband ate literally 3 bowls of it. he loved it so much! thank you for a great recipe!
I’m so glad he enjoyed it so much, Miriam! 🙂
Made this for my Book Club. Everyone has seconds and raved about it. I started this two days before serving, and made about 1-1/2 times the recipe. I used a little over 3 lbs. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts that had been marinated in my favorite butcher shop’s Baja seasoning, used all the marinade plus 1 cup of chicken broth, and cooked it in my Crock Pot on low heat for 8 hours, until the chicken started to fall apart when poked with a fork. I cooled the pot until I could touch it, and put it in the refrigerator overnight, including the juices. The next day I shredded the chicken, and made the chili recipe, using all the cooked chicken broth, plus another 2 cups of broth. I followed the recipe, except that I used only two cans of beans, rather than the three cans it would have called for, due to the increased recipe. (I used 24 oz. of frozen sweet corn instead), and 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper. I cooked it to a boil and let it simmer for 15 min. Then I put it in the refrigerator overnight, to let the flavors blend.
About three hours before serving, I took it out of the refrigerator, heated it covered, to simmering, removed the cover, and let the mixture simmer down to the point that the mixture was thick enough to slightly hold its shape when I pulled my mixing spoon through it. I then mixed in the sour cream. I served it with crushed Fritos, shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, extra sour cream, and fresh chopped cilantro (which no one touched). It was a huge hit, and everyone wanted the recipe.
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Carol! Sounds like you took a lot of time to care for the chili. 🙂
Hi Sam! I can’t wait to give this a try! I was curious, is there any way this could be turned into a slow cooker version? Would you follow the same recipe, just let everything cook together on low for 4 hours or so? Any tips would be appreciated, unless this is just a recipe that begs for the stovetop. I’m fine with that, was just wondering! Keep up the great recipes!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Jamie! Unfortunately, I am not sure how to turn this into a crock pot version. Cooking the onion and garlic are key here to provide a great flavor. You could always make it and then transfer it to a crockpot.
Made this for the first time this evening. The recipe was easy and it was delicious! I did add more broth but it was amazing! A new favorite and will be making it again!’
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Jack! 🙂
This is a very easy, quick & satisfying dish! We are eating healthier these days & I made as recipe was written, but did add a little more of the spices, for our taste. Also has some spinach that needed to be used up, so chopped that fine and added it at the end to cook down.. Can’t taste it but it added some color to the otherwise white/light dish.
This will go into our winter soup rotation & happy that it is so easy to make. One could easily put everything in the slowcooker, (minus the sour cream) & have a great meal waiting at the end of the day!
Healthy & hearty!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Lori! 🙂