Creatures of chili habit, I urge you to try a new blue-ribbon winner: White Bean Chicken Chili. With juicy chicken, hearty white beans, and a creamy green chile broth, it doesn’t mean you are saying goodbye to your traditional chili, but rather making room for a new friend in your life!
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An adaptation of a Well Plated reader favorite!
Readers may already know my Crockpot White Chicken Chili. This white chicken chili recipe is an adapted stovetop version. It still tastes like it simmered all day but it’s ready in a jiffy.
While traditional chili is made with a tomato base, white chili has a creamy broth base without tomatoes. Regular chili is also typically made with beef, and white chili, chicken. Honestly, they really don’t have all that much in common other than that signature heartiness and Tex-Mex flavor!
Unlike typical white bean chicken chili recipes, my lightened-up version is made without heavy cream or cream cheese for a balanced meal. Part of the beans are puréed with an immersion blender (my secret to thickening chili!) to deliver a rich, creamy texture.
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Onion. A yellow onion or white onion is an important ingredient for building the base flavor.
- Spices. The spices that typically star in taco night—cumin, oregano, garlic, and cayenne (optional)—are turned up to give this chili loads of flavor. If you prefer a hotter chili, add a diced jalapeño (or a few) along with sautéed onion as well as the cayenne pepper.
- Chicken. I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but thighs also work. Keep in mind, they’ll need a bit longer to cook.
- Green Chiles. A dynamo ingredient in some of my favorite Tex-Mex recipes, like Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas (also featured in my cookbook) and Green Chili.
- Beans. Cannellini beans (or Great Northern beans) are mild and creamy.
- Cilantro. For a fresh finish. Feel free to omit if you are averse to cilantro.
- Lime Juice. Balances the rich chili flavor and adds a brightness.
- Toppings. Crushed tortilla chips, guacamole or avocado, plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, jalapeño slices, shredded cheese, and Pickled Onions are all fantastic.
5 Star Review
“We made this last night and the flavor is absolutely AMAZING!!! It was really easy to make too – highly recommend!”
— Tracy —
How to Make White Bean Chicken Chili
Sauté. Cook the onion, then add the seasonings.
Add the Protein and Chiles. Stir in the chicken, beans, and green chiles.
Add the Broth and Chicken. Bring to a simmer. Remove the chicken once it’s cooked through. While you don’t have to worry about the chicken drying out since it’s cooking in liquid, it will get tough and rubbery if over-cooked, so I recommend using an instant-read thermometer.
Make It Creamy. Purée a portion of the chili with an immersion blender.
Add the Chicken. Stir it back into the pot.
Finish. Add cilantro and lime juice and then simmer. Serve with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and any other desired toppings. ENJOY!
What to Serve with White Bean Chicken Chili
Round out your meal with one of these sides—or a margarita because there’s always room for a marg, right?
- Salad. Pair your chili with a Tex-Mex-inspired salad like Black Bean Corn Salad or Mexican Street Corn Quinoa Salad.
- Cornbread. Mexican Cornbread or Jalapeno Cornbread both pair beautifully with this white bean chicken chili.
- Margaritas. Treat yourself to a classic Skinny Margarita. You earned it!
- Rice. Serve your chili over Instant Pot Brown Rice, or stir cooked rice into the chili just before serving to make it even heartier.
White Bean Chicken Chili
Video
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion or ½ large, ¼-inch diced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 cloves garlic minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts trimmed of excess fat (2 to 3 breasts)
- 2 15-ounce cans reduced sodium cannellini beans, or Great Northern beans rinsed and drained
- 2 4.5-ounce cans diced green chiles
- 4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice about 2 limes
For Serving:
- Diced jalapeño, diced avocado, nonfat sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, shredded cheese, tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or a similar large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until it is beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the cumin, oregano, salt, and garlic. Let cook for 30 seconds, until the garlic is very fragrant.
- Add the chicken, beans, green chiles, and broth. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat so that the liquid maintains a gentle, steady simmer.
- Continue simmering until the chicken registers 155 degrees F on an instant read thermometer, about 12 to 14 minutes; if the size of your pot is such that the chicken is not fully submerged, flip it over once halfway through. Carefully remove the chicken to a cutting board. Let rest 10 minutes. Dice or shred it into bite-sized pieces.
- With an immersion blender, puree a portion of the chili to thicken it, leaving some of the beans whole. (If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can instead transfer a few ladlefuls of the chili to a food processor or blender and pulse roughly, then return it back into the chili.) Continue simmering 5 minutes more to further thicken it.
- Stir the chicken, cilantro, and lime juice. Simmer 5 minutes more to allow the flavors to marry. To serve, portion into bowls and top with a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Add any other desired toppings and enjoy.
Notes
- TO STORE: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days
- TO FREEZE: Place chili in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container and freeze for up to 2 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- TO REHEAT: Warm the chili in the microwave or on the stove top until steaming.
Nutrition
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I have to say this chili is fantastic. It was even better the next day. I used Hatch chilies. One hot and one mild. I always check your recipes first before I make a new recipe. . Of course I usually use yours. Thank you Erin.
Hi Rose! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
The yummiest!!!!!!!
Is a serving appropriately 2C?
Hi Annie! Unfortunately I didn’t measure the servings out in cups. The serving size is 1/6 of the recipe. Hope you enjoy it!
I made this last week and my husband and I loved it! I did 1/2 the chicken stock since we like our chili on the thicker side, but other than that followed the recipie. A new favorite!
Hi Heather! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Delicious! So simple to throw together. Dont be scared of the diced chiles. A very very mild heat, but when you add a dollop of sour cream, it brings it all together. And dont forget the tortilla chips! This is a great meal to make a day ahead because it gives the chicken a chance to really soak in the goodness.
Hi Kate! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Took 2nd in a chili cookoff in my neighborhood in 2020. First place was a dark red beef chili. This recipe was requested by several people.
Woot! Woot! Thanks so much Cheryl!
We made this last night and the flavor is absolutely AMAZING!!! It was really easy to make too – highly recommend! We just recently got an immersion blender and this was our first time using it so we accidentally blended all of the beans but it was still delicious. I’m sure we will get the hang of the immersion blender or next time we can save some of the beans to put in after we blend! Anyway, highly suggest trying this recipe if you are looking for an easy weeknight dinner where you can have some leftovers for the week too!
Hi Tracy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This was delicious and easy to make. Will be a staple from now on.
Hi Ruth! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This recipe came to my in- box on the same day I was wondering what I was going to do with my leftover chicken and seemed like the perfect solution. I adapted it by not cooking the chicken as directed , but by just simmering the other ingredients for 10-12 minutes and just adding my cubed left-over chicken at the appropriate time. It was quick and easy…I made a half recipe, which was perfect for two of us. I added sour cream and avocado pieces as garnishes and served with corn chips…one of my favorite new recipes!
Hi Judy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review and feedback on using cooked chicken!
Perfect combo of flavors!!
HOORAY! I am so happy to hear it, thank you!
Perfect combo of flavors!! I even did it with frozen chicken breasts and added a little cooking time in the slow cooker:)
I made this last night and forgot to blend part of it. It was still good and I will make it again and be sure to blend it because creamy can only make it better!
Hi Carol! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I made Erin’s White Chicken Chili with Beans and it was absolutely delicious❤️We loved every bite..a real keeper and I will definitely make it again and again and again❤️❤️
So glad you enjoyed it Maril! Thank you!
This is excellent! The flavours are amazing and it’s such a simple, forgiving recipe!
I do have a question, however – the below Crockpot version has a much larger calorie count per portion, but the ingredients are the same. Why would this be? Just wondering if I’m missing something! Wouldn’t be the first time. :)
Thank you either way for posting such amazing recipes! <3
Glad you enjoyed it JB! The accuracy is limited by the information available in the My Fitness Pal and Wordpress Recipe Maker databases who services the nutritional information. Unfortunately there are things built in that I am not able to control on my end.
Love this chili! It’s such a nice change from our usual chili. Perfectly filling and tasty on a cold autumn day.
Thanks so much, Danielle!
Absolutely delicious and so easy! The flavors are bright and balanced. Blending it creates the perfect hearty texture. You’ll love this.
So happy to hear you enjoyed it, Ashlie!
Hi there, any difference in using chicken thighs vs. chicken breasts in cooking time or temp?
Hi Carolyn, yes, chicken thighs cook faster. I’d start checking the internal temperature at around 8 minutes. Enjoy!
Great flavors. I used boneless thighs and went light on the chicken stock. I also stirred in about 1/4 cup of plain green yogart at the end. Thick and super creamy.
Thanks for the feedback, Suzi!
Love your recipes! Was thinking of subbing out the white beans for either black eyed peas or pinto beans because that’s what I have in my freezer (I make my own beans). Do you think that’s ok? Thanks for your input.
Hi Beth, I’m sure you could use either one but the taste will be different than the one intended here. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it goes!
How long should this cook in the instant pot?
Hi Kelly, I’m sorry but I haven’t tested this particular recipe for the instant pot so I wouldn’t be able to advise on any specific instructions but I can tell you if you follow the direcrtions in this post you’ll be getting the chicken cooked and the flavors will marry well together in this amount of time: https://www.wellplated.com/instant-pot-butter-chicken/ If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it goes!
Excellent recipe. Have tried several for white bean chicken chili. This is by far the best I’ve made. Perfect degree of spiciness. Made 2 minor changes; Used 2 rotisserie cooked chicken breasts shredded and added 3/4 teaspoon of ground coriander.
This looks really good. I’m trying to watch carbs, but there must be more than 3, right?
Thanks.
Hi Emily! For each recipe, I estimate to the best of my ability based on the information available in the calculators themselves. These numbers are meant to be a guide, not a statement of fact. Many elements can cause the dish I make at home to vary nutritionally from the iteration you create, including brands of ingredients, measuring styles, and final serving size. Further, the accuracy is limited by the information available in the My Fitness Pal and Wordpress Recipe Maker databases. Hope this helps!
This Chili was delicious and so easy! My two picky boys (age 6 and 7) really enjoyed it as well. We will be looking forward to the leftovers. Thanks for this recipe!
So glad to hear, thank you Erin!
I would make this recipe again
Thank you Virginia!
Great recipe! I didnt have a full can of beans, so I added what I had and pureed, and then towards the end added a small can of drained corn. Also threw in some chipotle seasoning because I love that flavor. This is a keeper!
So glad to hear, thank you Lisa!
This is my favorite recipe for White Bean Chicken Chili. It is in regular rotation at my house and my mom makes fun of me for making it so often. Lol Thank you for the excellent recipe!!
So glad to hear, Jenn! Thank you!
I used leftover chicken and only had one can green chiles and it was still delicious.
So glad to hear! Thank you!