White Chicken Chili
This easy White Chicken Chili recipe is made with white beans, a trio of chiles, and lots of seasonings for maximum flavor. By using rotisserie chicken or chicken that you’ve already batch prepared, this can be on the table in just 45 minutes, making it a perfect weeknight dinner option.
I am a die-hard chili fan. It’s one of my absolute favorite meals during the fall and winter, and the best excuse for inhaling embarrassing amounts of shredded cheddar cheese and Fritos. I don’t discriminate when it comes to chili… a traditional ground beef chili recipe, chili con carne, and even chicken chili. As long as it’s thick, hearty, and a little spicy, I’m all-in.
One summer many, many years ago, my brother-in-law was on a chicken salad kick. To this day, it’s the best chicken salad I’ve ever had. He would blacken chicken breasts on the grill, then either cut them up or shred them, and combine them with a mixture of peppers, mayonnaise and seasonings. Seriously, SO. GOOD.
When I started thinking about a chicken chili recipe, I knew I wanted the flavor to replicate that salad. I used a good dose of chicken, an assortment of peppers, and lots of seasoning for tons of texture and flavor.
How to Make White Chicken Chili
This is a wonderfully easy recipe that comes together quickly if you have chicken cooked and ready to go!
While you can definitely grill, roast or poach your own chicken breasts for this recipe, you could also pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store for a super quick weeknight meal (or use leftover chicken that you’ve already prepared). That’s definitely a bonus when it comes to chicken chili versus its beef counterpart – you can have a big pot of chicken chili done and ready to eat in under an hour, while beef chili recipes typically require at least a couple of hours of cooking time.
Here’s what’s involved with this white chicken chili:
- First, we sauté the onion, peppers and spices to soften the vegetables and infuse them with tons of flavor.
- Next we stir in some flour, which will help to thicken the chili.
- Then we add the chicken stock, beans, chicken and lime juice. We mash up some of the beans to give the chili a thicker, heartier texture. Allow that to simmer for about 20 minutes so it will thicken up and the flavors can meld together.
- Finally, the heavy cream is stirred in and warmed through, then it’s ready to serve!
In case you were curious, “white” chicken chili most definitely does not turn out white when you add chili powder, paprika and cayenne to it, ha!
ADDITIONAL RECIPE NOTES
A few quick notes on the recipe:
- This chili definitely has a kick to it; I would label it as moderately spicy (think “medium” when it comes to store-bought or restaurant salsa). If you prefer something milder, I would omit the cayenne in the recipe. If you want NO spice, then omit the jalapeño peppers, as well.
- This chili is an excellent candidate for the crockpot! Prepare the chili as directed up until leaving it to simmer, then transfer it to a slow cooker and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. Stir in the heavy cream about 30 minutes before planning to serve it.
- I go light on the cream in this recipe (making it more “chili” less “white”), but if you want a really, super creamy chili, I’ve seen many recipes use cream cheese, so you could try adding it to this recipe if you’d like.
- You can substitute ground turkey for the chicken, if you’d like. Brown it along with the onion, peppers and seasonings in step 1 and proceed with the rest of the recipe.
- To freeze this chili, allow it to cool completely, then place in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then reheat over low heat on the stove, or in the microwave.
I love smothering my beef chili in shredded cheddar and Fritos; why should chicken chili be any different?! I used shredded Monterey Jack to top my chicken chili, and the Fritos were just as fabulous :)
This white chicken chili is a perfect complement to my favorite beef chili recipes; a must in my fall comfort food arsenal!
If You Like This White Chicken Chili, Try These:
- Chipotle Chicken and Corn Chowder
- Homemade Chicken and Dumplings
- The Best Beef Chili Recipe
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Chili con Carne
- Hearty Beef Stew
(I also need to get my brother-in-law to make me a batch of that chicken salad once it’s grilling season again!)
One year ago: Dominic’s 1st Birthday Party
Six years ago: Maple-Walnut Ice Cream
Eight years ago: Russian Pound Cake
White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
- 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 poblano peppers, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 Anaheim peppers, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups (960 ml) chicken stock
- 45 oz (1.28 kg) can cannelini beans, rinsed, drained, and divided
- 3 cups (420 g) chopped cooked chicken
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ½ cup (119 ml) heavy cream
Garnishes:
- Lime wedges
- Monterey Jack cheese
- Cilantro
- Sour cream
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until it is shimmering. Add the onions, peppers, cumin, chili powder, paprika, cayenne and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Cook until the vegetables have softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add the flour and stir until no raw flour remains and it emits a nutty aroma, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in the chicken stock. Add 1 can of the beans and, using a potato masher, mash the beans in the pot, creating a thicker texture.
- Stir in the remaining beans, the chicken, lime juice and remaining salt, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and warm for an additional 5 minutes. Serve immediately with additional lime wedges, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, cilantro or sour cream. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
- This chili definitely has a kick to it; I would label it as moderately spicy (think “medium” when it comes to store-bought or restaurant salsa). If you prefer something milder, I would omit the cayenne in the recipe. If you want NO spice, then omit the jalapeño peppers, as well.
- This chili is an excellent candidate for the crockpot! Prepare the chili as directed up until leaving it to simmer, then transfer it to a slow cooker and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. Stir in the heavy cream about 30 minutes before planning to serve it.
- I go light on the cream in this recipe, but if you want a really, super creamy chili, I’ve seen many recipes use cream cheese, so you could try adding it to your chili.
- You can substitute ground turkey for the chicken, if you’d like. Brown it along with the onion, peppers and seasonings in step 1 and proceed with the rest of the recipe.
- To freeze this chili, allow it to cool completely, then place in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then reheat over low heat on the stove, or in the microwave.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in March 2014. It was updated in October 2018 with new photos and extensive recipe tips.
[photos by The Almond Eater]
I just made this tonight for my husband and I. It is fantastic! We love it and it is definitely a keeper. Thanks for sharing. BTW, my husband makes a really delicious vegetarian chili that has zucchini and quinoa. :)
This is gorgeous! The lime on top is a fresh touch!
What happened to the other 1/2 teaspoon of salt?
Hi Mark, Sorry, it should go in with the beans and chicken in step #3. I will correct it.
Hi Michelle! Just wanted to let you know I just posted my version of this chili on my blog. I absolutely loved it! Thanks for the inspiration. I’d love if you’d check out my post :) http://piesandplots.net/vegan-white-bean-chili/
Can this be adapted to a slow cooker recipe? If so, how?
Hi Helen, I don’t see why not; once everything is stirred in, you could put it in a slow cooker on low, then stir in the cream before serving.
Mmmm this was delicious! Definitely added to the recipe binder for my chicken chili recipe winner!
Made this last night and it was a huuuuuge hit with my boyfriend. And I quote, “This is a make again. Soon!” Hooray! Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you, Michelle, for a great recipe. I love peppers, so I doubled the Anaheim and poblanos, roasted and peeled them, and continued with the recipe. I also dusted the chicken with additional paprika and chili powder and left them in the refrigerator for about 6 hours before I cooked them. It turned out great! As I am looking to reduce fat, I subbed nonfat Greek yogurt for the cream. Regardless, the recipe is delicious however you tweek it and I wanted to thank you for adding a recipe to my repertoire. My friends said it was the best chicken chili that they have ever had.!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was wonderful. As a Texan, I prefer my meals with a good bit of heat, and this was just perfect. Very hearty and tasty! I’m so excited I have enough leftovers for my next few meals. Yum!
I made this for dinner tonight, it was great! I used my immersion blender to puree everything after adding the first can of beans. It was a bit on the spicy side (but I’m a total spice wuss and it was not too spicy to eat). I’ll be making this chili again for sure. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
That looks delicious. And I highly recommend Julie Jordan ‘ s cashew chili for your go-to vegetarian chili!
What a tasty bowl of soup!
That last picture with the melty cheese oozing off the spoon….OMG!! Yum.
White chicken chili is a family favorite. I’ll have to try your version out on them! Thanks! :)
White chicken chili is my favorite! Love your variation!
This looks “lick the spoon” delicious. Loads of peppers and a little heat – perfect!
There is something so comforting about chilli!
I absolutely love this recipe – thanks for sharing!
The Macadame. xx
http://www.creamstop.com
I am curious about the peppers. It sounds like you used them raw without the seeds and not peeled. I am used to seeing the peppers roasted or peeled before chopping. I am not sure if that would make any difference :)
Hi Christine, the peppers do not need to be peeled or roasted before you use them, but you could certainly do that, if you’d like.
I will be trying it this week! Thanks for the reply :)
Could you PLEASE share the chicken salad recipe as well? Thanks!
Yum!!! I’m not wild about chili (but I love soups) because it’s so tomato-y. This looks incredible though. I definitely have to give it a try.
You had me at cannellini beans. Saved this.
I’ve now made this 4 times, and it is SO good. Here’s the recipe in Latvian, with credit to BEB, of course :)
http://pieliekamais.blogspot.se/2014/11/vistas-cili-pret-iesnam-white-chicken.html
Thank you for this delicious find! :)
You can make any chili vegetarian by just leaving out the meat and maybe adding more beans. I’ve found that the meat isn’t missed much. If you want it to seem meaty, you can use lentils. I used to make lentil tacos that my kids preferred to the hamburger kind.
This looks so good! I have to try it, too!
I love your blog!
Cheers from Vienna!
http://www.stylesandbox.com
Looks so so so good!
Your chili looks amazing- I love when it’s smothered in cheese!
I so agree with your statement that chili is a good excuse to eat embarrassingly large amounts of cheese and Fritos. Now I’m craving for chili….
I don’t even eat chicken and you make me want this :) pinned!
I love chicken chili! The mix of peppers and spices you used sound fab.
It’s currently windy and freezing outside and this soup sounds SO comforting and warm! Chicken chili is my favorite, I love it more than a beef/turkey chili! :)
I CANNOT eat chili without Fritos Scoops. I could seriously eat the whole bag, scooping chili. I much prefer the white chicken chilis because the tomatoes in red chili tend to give me too much heartburn. Love this recipe! Can’t wait to try it!