Easy White Chicken Chili

5 from 11 votes

The colder weather is begging for a bowl of this comforting Easy White Chicken Chili - made in one pot, and packed with chicken, white beans and spicy chili

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This easy white chicken chili only takes 10 minutes to prep and is full of hearty, healthy and nutritious ingredients. Perfectly spiced and finished with your favorite chili toppings for a family favorite meal.

Two bowls of easy white chicken chili with toppings: avocado, sour cream, jalapenos, cilantro
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Now that the weather is getting colder, I’m officially in soup and chili mode. I’m going to be sharing a lot more soup recipes in the next couple months, especially as we all start to think about healthy nutrient-dense protein packed meals. Kicking off soup season with this easy white chicken chili. Because a) it’s super easy, b) it’s super healthy and c) it’s super yummy.

What are the ingredients for white chicken chili?

  • Aromatics: olive oil, onions, garlic
  • Chicken thighs or leftover rotisserie chicken
  • White beans – use either Great Northern beans or Cannellini beans
  • Frozen corn
  • Diced green chilis
  • Spices: chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano
  • Toppings: sour cream, avocado, jalapenos, cilantro and so much more!

How do you make white chicken chili?

To start, you’ll want to heat up the aromatics: olive oil with diced onions and garlic. Once those are soft, add the chicken thighs on top, cover with water or chicken broth and cook. In this way we’re flavoring the broth for the soup while cooking the chicken.

Large pot with onions, garlic and two raw chicken thighs

Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the broth, shred and set it aside. Next you’ll add just one can of the white beans and use an immersion blender to blend it all together. This creates the creaminess of the soup, without having to add flour, cream cheese or heavy cream. Finally, you’ll just add the rest of the beans, the shredded chicken and the remaining ingredients to the pot, and let all flavors cook together and simmer.

How do you thicken the chicken chili

Now you’ll notice when the chili is done that the broth is still not super thick and has a more liquid consistency. Keep in mind that this is intentional and that the chili will continue to thicken as it sits. However, if you want to thicken it fast, you can use flour. When adding flour to soup, just use 1-2 tablespoons and whisk it in a small bowl with a cup of broth removed from the soup. Don’t add the flour directly to the soup or it will clump up quickly.

Tips for the best white chicken chili

  • Add creaminess without any cream: Create a creamy texture for the soup without any heavy cream or cheese by blending the white beans. White Norther beans or Cannellini beans have a creamy buttery consistency. When you blend them along with the onions and chicken broth with an immersion blender, it creates a thicker broth and adds the creaminess we want.
  • Use rotisserie chicken to make it faster: Ok, so this recipe is super quick and easy to make. But if you want to make it even faster and easier, use leftover rotisserie chicken. That will save you time cooking and shredding the chicken.
  • Allow the chili time to rest: Like all soups and chili, the flavors get better as they sit together for a while and meld. Not to mention, the chicken also has a chance to get more tender and juicy. I would recommend making this soup a few hours before you plan to serve it to allow the broth to thicken and the flavor to enhance.
Final easy white chicken chili served in two bowls with toppings

Frequently Asked Questions

What toppings go with chili?

The best part about chili is the toppings, am I right?! There are so many great ways to spice up this easy white chicken chili by adding fresh toppings when ready to serve. Here are some of the most common ones:

  • Sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • Avocados
  • Green onions
  • Cilantro
  • Jalapenos
  • Shredded cheese, like Monterey Jack or cheddar
  • Roasted corn
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Corn tortilla chips

Can I freeze white chicken chili?

Chili freezes really well! Let it cool to room temperature and then put in it freezer safe containers. Defrost it in the fridge before gently reheating it. You can also keep the chili in containers in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.

Is this white chicken chili spicy?

This chili is mild in spice so it’s perfect for the whole family. If you like things spicier, add in some extra green chilis and use one if you would like it milder.

Close up shot of one bowl of easy white chicken chili

This easy white chicken chili recipe is a family favorite, especially in the winter. We love making a big batch of it and basically serve it as a main meal. It’s full of protein from the white beans and chicken, full of flavor from the diced green chili and spices, and comes together so quickly!

It’s one of my favorite hearty comfort meals. I would highly recommend doubling the recipe even so you can store some for the next day or freezer. We love leftovers in our house…no pots to wash!

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Easy White Chicken Chili

The colder weather is begging for a bowl of this comforting Easy White Chicken Chili – made in one pot, and packed with chicken, white beans and spicy chili
5 from 11 votes
Servings 6 servings
Course Soup
Calories 137
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 2 medium skinless boneless chicken thighs about 1 pound
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 2 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed/drained
  • 2 4-ounce can diced green chilis
  • ½ cup frozen corn kernels
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon Mexican oregano
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • Toppings: sour cream avocado, jalapenos, cilantro

Instructions

  • In a large heavy bottomed Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and garlic, and cook until translucent and soft, about 5 minutes.
  • Add chicken and chicken broth (or water) to the pot and cook over medium heat until tender, about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the broth and shred.
  • Add one can of white beans to to the pot. Use an immersion blender to blend the beans with with onions, garlic and chicken broth mixture. This will create the creamy texture for the soup.
  • Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Add the remaining white beans, corn, green chilis, spices, salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and serve with immediately with toppings of choice.

Notes

Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 2-3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. 
Freezing Instructions: You can freeze the soup in mason jars or plastic airtight containers. To defrost, simply remove the chili from the freezer and place in the fridge the night before serving.  Then you can reheat all together in a large pot or individually in microwave-safe bowls. 
Please note the chili may thicken when frozen, so you may need to add some broth when reheating. 
Substitutes: For best results, follow the recipe as is. However you can change up the spices as you see fit. You can also use cooked rotisserie chicken instead of cooking chicken as part of the recipe.
Equipment: I love using my Cuisinart Smart Stick hand blender for blending soups and chili. It’s quick and easy and gets me the perfect creamy consistency for the chili, without having to add flour or cream cheese.
* Please note the nutrition label does not include any of the toppings.

Nutrition

Calories: 137kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 36mg, Sodium: 1307mg, Potassium: 316mg, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 80IU, Vitamin C: 18.2mg, Calcium: 27mg, Iron: 1.2mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Cuisine American
Course: Soup

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